County officials in northwest Alberta said a fire that followed a report of an early-morning explosion at an oilfield lease site is under control, and air-quality monitoring has determined there’s no risk to the public.
Jason Nesbitt, deputy fire chief with the County of Grande Prairie Fire Services, said winds blew smoke from the blaze north instead of east which it typically does, meaning the smoke blew away from most populated areas.
It also meant the smoke was pushed away from a migratory bird sanctuary on Saskatoon Lake, at least a few kilometres away from the fire.
The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership said in a statement that crews were dispatched to a reported explosion at the Anegada Oil Corporation site at around 2:40 a.m., and found a large fire involving several tanks which contain crude oil and produced water when they arrived.
Gas Plant Explosion – Township Road 722 and Range Road 82 – AVOID THE AREA #GPAB #COUNTYOFGP pic.twitter.com/q1BmJdZTQG
— William Vavrek (@williamvavrek) April 3, 2021
The statement said some residents were told by RCMP to get ready to evacuate, but the fire was brought under control later in the morning.
Nesbitt said there were no injuries reported, and that the company’s firefighting team had reached the site and were taking over the job of putting the fire out.
He said he believed all product had been contained within the site.
Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) has been deactivated. Fire is out at the Anegada Oil Corporation lease at TWP722/RR82 #gpab #countyofgp – Cause of the fire is not known at this time. pic.twitter.com/cbchfIzrts
— William Vavrek (@williamvavrek) April 3, 2021
Cara Tobin of the Alberta Energy Regulator said staff from the agency had arrived at the site Saturday, but that it would likely be a while before the cause of the explosion and fire is determined.