Let's just imagine that a major fire broke out at the Kinder Morgan tank farm.
We're not trying to fear monger here, but just humour us for a second.
While there are safety measures in place at the facility, Kinder Morgan has told us they would call on the fire department, even though Deputy Fire Chief Chris Bowcock has been adamant that it's the company's responsibility to fight its own fires.
Bowcock has repeatedly told us the fire department can't handle petroleum fires, and Kinder Morgan has told us they would call the fire department in the event of a major oil fire.
It's shocking to us that there is no clear plan as to who would deal with a crisis like this.
The fact these two parties don't have an agreement as to who would actually fight the fire is just mind-blowing. Meanwhile, each is accusing the other of dropping the ball on this.
The tank farm has been in place since the 1950s without any major fires, but a track record of no incidents is no substitute for a plan to deal with emergencies. Bowcock claims there are no detailed plans about how Kinder Morgan would handle a major fire, while the company claims the fire department won't meet with them.
Pick up the phone, people!
We're not trying to stir up alarm. But the reality is there's a clear disconnect between Kinder Morgan and the Burnaby Fire Department, and that's completely unacceptable.
Obviously this working relationship is fraught with tension, but one of these parties has got to reach out and resolve this. There are 1.6 million barrels of crude at the storage facility on Burnaby Mountain, and if the expansion is approved, there will be 5.6 million.
We hope Kinder Morgan and the fire department work this out before a disaster hits.
