40 YEARS AGO: A Canadian National Railways line, closed after a derailment about 13 kilometres south of Blue River, was reopened. CN officials believed 24 cars on a 95-car CN train jumped the tracks after crossing a broken rail. Among the derailed cars were 16 carrying ethylene dichloride, a flammable solvent, and six loaded with glycol, a liquid used as antifreeze. An estimated 225,000 litres of chemicals were spilled into the North Thompson River as a result of the derailment. At least two cars carrying caustic soda were also involved in the mishap.
30 YEARS AGO: Clearwater Fire Department reported a near tragedy was avoided thanks to the family involved’s smoke detector, and quick thinking by their neighbour, firefighter Tracy Davidson. If it had not been for the smoke detector, the family could’ve been in real danger of carbon monoxide poisoning and losing their trailer. When next door neighbour, Davidson, heard the call out on his pager, he grabbed his fire extinguisher, rushed over and put out the furnace fire before it escalated. Sixteen firefighters arrived with one pump truck and two tankers to the furnace fire in Brookfield trailer park.
25 YEARS AGO: Staffing at the B.C. Parks Wells Gray Park Administration Centre, two full-time positions, would be reduced by one within the year, the office building and compound located in North Thompson Park would be closed, and the remaining full-time Parks employee were to work out of the Wells Gray InfoCentre building. Many positions had been moved or cut out, including the zone manager who was moved to Kamloops, and area supervisor positions were reduced.
20 YEARS AGO: The last inmate left Bear Creek Correctional Centre, said senior corrections officer Jim Morgan. The longtime BCCC staff member was in charge of shutting down the prison camp. Staff would remain at the camp for the next few weeks, packing up items to be sent to Kamloops. A few inmates would be coming from Rayleigh to assist in the packing. However, no more inmates would stay overnight at Bear Creek. A private security firm posted a watch at the camp during the change-over and after it is shut down. Even while shutting down, Bear Creek continues to help local residents and used baseball equipment was given to minor ball, while minor hockey received some used hockey gear.
15 YEARS AGO: CN began another investigation following a train derailment just outside of Blue River. The incident occurred about seven kilometres east of Blue River and involved 27 cars. A CN spokesperson said no one was injured and there were no dangerous goods or environmental impact. The westbound train containing 90 rail cars, two locomotives and two employees originated from Edmonton, loaded with grain bound for Vancouver. It was estimated each car could hold approximately 90 tons of grain, depending on the type. Distances of the spill to the North Thompson River varied as the river winds along the rail line.
10 YEARS AGO: A proposal to build a roundabout at the Highway 5 to Wells Gray Park road junction was receiving various levels of support at sessions held at the high school. A roundabout would address two objectives the highways department has for the intersection: controlling speeding and giving a better emphasis to the road to Wells Gray Park. About 5,000 to 7,000 vehicles per day use Highway 5, though it was unknown how many turn off onto Clearwater Valley Road, but the park receives 100,000 visitors each year. A roundabout would be safer than stop lights.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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