Toxic residues, including gasoline, were allegedly emptied into the stormwater system in the Maisonneuve Street area. Citizens even had to be evacuated in the area due to the fumes.
They were able to return to their home, but the City will have to pay several thousand dollars due to this incident.
“We must never do this, never in 100 years. It’s a very bad idea,” insists Hélène Langlais, head of the communications department for Ville de La Tuque.
These are citizens who contacted the authorities on Wednesday evening to report gasoline odors in their homes. Two residences were particularly affected by the incident.
“When we do spring cleaning, the oil and gas don’t go into the stormwater system. You have to bring this to the ecocenter and they will be treated in an environmentally acceptable way,” recalls Hélène Langlais.
The Municipality’s public works team is currently working to purge all of this. If there was more fear than harm, the bill will possibly be steep for the City of La Tuque.
“It’s certain that it’s going to cost the municipality money. We had to monopolize the firefighters and there will be clean-up. All this for bad behavior,” points out Ms. Langlais.
The offending citizen – and any other individual who takes the same action – is subject to a fine.
