Firefighters rushed to an oilfield site near Grande Prairie, Alta. early Saturday morning after reports of an explosion.
When crews from the Wembley Fire Department and County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service arrived at the Anegada Oil Corporation lease site near Range Road 81 and Township Road 722A at around 2:40 a.m., they discovered a large fire involving several tanks containing crude oil.
READ MORE: Explosion injures 3 people at northern Alberta oil and gas site
County regional fire service deputy fire chief Jason Nesbitt said crews were working with industrial fire contractors and Anegada Oil Corporation to extinguish the fire. Fire officials said there were no injuries reported in the incident.
Nesbitt said residents in the area were contacted by RCMP and put on evacuation alert. There was no risk to anyone outside of those residents who had already been contacted, according to the deputy fire chief.
“All liquid product released is contained (to the) lease site,” Nesbitt wrote in a statement. “There will be a significant amount of heavy black smoke coming from the site for the next few hours.”
READ MORE: 1 person killed, another injured in northern Alberta well site explosion
People were asked to stay away from the site and follow first responder’s directions if they were in the area.
The site is located about 27 kilometres west of Grande Prairie.
