Ministry of Environment officials are assessing the environmental impact of a freight train derailment which took place near Battambang town on August 16.
According to the ministry, the northbound train was carrying four oil tankers, each loaded with 36,000 litres of diesel. About 70,000 litres spilled, of which roughly 10,000 litres were collected by local residents.
Some of the leaked fuel spread into stormwater canals — extending 500 meters from the spill site — while some accumulated in a pit beside the accident site, in Tuol Ta Ek village and commune.
Containment booms have been installed to trap oil residue and the remining diesel is expected to be recovered.
The recovery operations began after Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth personally led an August 17 field inspection of the site.
He instructed ministry officials to cooperate with local authorities and company representatives to implement preventive measures and prevent the spread of oil. Regular operations are also being carried out to prevent it from seeping into sewers and public water sources and to restore the affected drainage system.
The minister called on local authorities to advise residents to avoid using the spilled oil. Instead, the oil should be collected and sent for incineration at waste management facilities using proper technical methods.
Phorn Rim, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said the derailment was caused by a collapsed railway track, resulting in four tankers overturning. Three of the overturned tankers leaked fuel, while 70 meters of track were damaged. No injuries were reported.
The Royal Railway Company deployed two cranes and several tanker trucks from the Kampuchea Tela company to pump out fuel, with fire engines on standby in case of possible hazards. Authorities eventually cordoned off the site and prevented residents from scooping up soiled fuel.
Rim noted that by the morning of August 17, the damaged section of rail had been repaired and reopened for temporary use.
