Balcarres, Sask. — It took help from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to deal with a leak in a tank containing about 70 tons of anhydrous ammonia last Tuesday, April 30, at Blair’s Fertilizer, about three miles from the town of Balcarres. “We’ve contacted the correct authorities who know about the incident and can deal with the company. The tank is capped off and emptied to the best of my knowledge,” said Staff Sgt. Earl Nini. The RCMP evacuated some of the homes within a three-mile radius in the rural farm area. Fortunately, no one was hurt. “The incident is still under investigation, and the facts aren’t all in,” he added, saying that the local fire department and the fertilizer company were able to contain the leak. “We were there to ensure people were safe. We closed the main highway, and evacuated some of the houses near the facility,” said Nini. Highway 10 and other roads near the site were closed for a time, but reopened late Tuesday.
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