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Vancouver Oil Spill In False Creek Contained: City

The city estimates that 1,000 litres of diesel spilled into the water off Granville Island.

Crews have contained a diesel spill in Vancouver's False Creek Monday morning, said the city.

Jeff Brady with the Canadian Coast Guard says hundreds of metres of containment booms were set up off Granville Island.

The City of Vancouver said on Twitter that the spill was about 1,000 litres and has now been contained, several hours after the first reports of the oily sheen.

Officials believe the fuel likely came from a boat in the area around Granville Island, reported CBC News.

Health officials are monitoring the air quality and health impacts but there are "no human health risks at present," it said. There are fumes and the smell of diesel but "no flammable risk."

It also advised people to close their windows and turn off their air conditioning if they smelled diesel.

Police have closed a portion of the seawall downtown as a precaution.

The spill was reported to the coast guard around 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston told CBC Radio that the city received word from the coast guard about the spill around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, and cleanup crews were on scene with the booms around 3:30 a.m.

In April, a container ship malfunctioned and spilled bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, leading to criticism of the coast guard's inadequate response and communication.

Johnston said since then, the city has received improved communication from the coast guard and the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, which is contracted to clean up oil spills in the harbour.

With files from The Canadian Press

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