Bunker fuel from English Bay spill washes up on Vancouver beaches

The toxic bunker fuel that leaked from a ship into Vancouver's English Bay has washed up on the city's popular beach in Kitsilano.

Vancouver police told CBC News that there are visible clumps of oil on the shore at Kits Beach.

What is bunker fuel?

The Canadian Coast Guard said it was notified about a spill generated from an anchor point in English Bay at about 5 p.m. PT Wednesday.

Miriam Van Roosmalen, the coast guard's B.C. regional director, said Thursday morning that it became quickly apparent that the size of the spill was larger than initially reported, and a cleanup operation was launched immediately.

The suspect vessell is now boomed off, she said, and, "it would seem that the source has been contained."

The City of Vancouver was not informed about the spill until 6 a.m. Thursday morning. Coun. Geoff Meggs and city manager Penny Ballem both said communication needs to be improved in such cases.