Magdalen Islands cleaning up diesel spill near port

Authorities are working to contain a diesel spill along a pipeline near the harbour of Cap-aux-Meules in the Magdalen Islands.

Hydro-Qubec emergency teams and Coast Guard environmental response personnelare at the site trying to clean up the spill,which authorities say could involve up to 50,000 litres of diesel fuel.

Jonathan Lapierre, the mayor of theMagdalen Islands, said the leak happened somewhere along a pipeline connecting the port to a Hydro-Qubec station.

Weve closed all the valves along the line to stop the flow of diesel between the two places, he said.

Most of the fuel spilled on land near the harbour, and Lapierre said its believed only a minimal amountentered the water.

Excavators were at work along the line to try to find the source of the leak.

Its a serious situation, but all the equipment and teams are in place to ensure its cleaned without delay and with as little impact on the environment as possible, Lapierre said.