A washing-machine-sized container abandoned in the middle of a busy Burnaby intersection last week didn’t have dangerous chemicals inside but could have done “significant damage” to another vehicle, according to police.
Just before 6 p.m. on Friday, a Burnaby RCMP officer came upon an IBC or intermediate bulk container (a plastic container with a metal frame) lying on Canada Way by Kensington Avenue.
The tank was roughly the size of a washing machine, according to Burnaby RCMP.
Const. Kevin Connolly, who heads up the detachment’s commercial vehicle enforcement efforts, said he has seen such containers used to haul water, pesticides and other dangerous goods, but the tank at Canada Way and Kensington appears to have contained only water and sand.
The City of Burnaby works yard was contacted to collect it from the intersection.
Connolly said insecure cargo is a serious problem in the city, and it’s not uncommon for him to come across drivers who have “no idea” how to properly secure it.
“With any insecure cargo, it presents an imminent hazard to any motorist behind. Luckily, in this case, there was no one directly behind them,” he said. “This kind of situation happens a lot more than people think. It’s just not publicized as much as it probably could be.”
The container didn’t have any identifying markings that could help identify the owner, according to Burnaby RCMP.
Anyone with dashcam footage of the incident can contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999.
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Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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