VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There’s been an oil spill in English Bay.

The City of Vancouver says the substance is bunker fuel. It adds the fuel is toxic and advises people not to touch it.

An emergency response team was called in to deal with the substance just after 5 p.m. yesterday and clean-up continues today.

Chad Dey could see the mess from the News1130 Air Patrol this morning.

“A large area is covered. If you look at the cargo ships that are anchored in English Bay, they are surrounded by large patches of this substance. You can see it on the surface of the water, as well; it tops it near Sunset and First Beach.”

Steve Keenan went out paddling last night and came back with a streak of residue on his boat.

“When it was around us, we could smell it,” he describes.

“We stopped in the middle of it. We’d been paddling for about 45 minutes and looked… you could see the brown stuff all over the sides of the boats. So we proceeded to try to get out of that area… but we couldn’t tell which way to go to get of it as fast as possible,” he tells us.

“I needed WD-40… [it was the only thing that was getting it off]. I feels almost like chewing gum,” adds Keenan.

John Parker-Jervis with Port Metro Vancouver says most of the oil is concentrated around a grain vessel, which is believed to be the source of the leak.

“It’s not confirmed that that’s the source,” he explains. “However, given there was a lot around that, the West Coast Marine Response Corporation has boomed off that ship.”

Beaches are still open, but to be safe, you’re encouraged to stay away from the water & the shoreline (wet sand). #VanFuelSpill — City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) April 9, 2015

If you see fuel on or near a beach, you’re asked to call the Coast Guard at 1-800-889-8852.



Oil spill in English Bay (April 9/15)

(Chad Dey, News1130 Photo)

Oil spill in English Bay (April 8th, 2015)

(Photo courtesy Chad Spoffard)

Minor oil spill in English Bay apparent on Sunset Beach. Traces in water lapping on shore. Sticky residue on my hand pic.twitter.com/j7360bqp8R — Mike Lloyd (@llikemoyd) April 9, 2015