275-Gallon Oil Tank Leaks Into Street in Hudson Valley, New York
We've learned the cause of a massive oil spill in a "quiet Hudson Valley neighborhood."
On Sunday, members of the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department and DEC responded to an oil spill at Hooker and Meyer Avenue in Poughkeepsie.
"Please avoid the area," the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department stated on Facebook.
ECO Eyler responded to a report of a 275-gallon oil tank leaking into the street outside an automotive repair shop.
The DEC did not name the auto shop.
RS Automotive is located at Hooker and Meyer Avenue in Poughkeepsie, according to Google Maps.
When he arrived, ECO Eyler spoke with members of the city of Poughkeepsie Fire Department who indicated the shop owner was trying to force the oil out of a tank using an air compressor and a regular garden hose to transfer the oil into 55-gallon drums, officials say.
Due to the immense pressure from the compressor, the oil blew out of the welded corner of the tank; none of it made it into the drums.
The owner immediately called the fire department, located less than a half-block away.
Once on scene, responders quickly stopped the spill and contained it, according to the DEC.
"Fortunately, no petroleum products entered the waterways. A petroleum cleanup and recovery business will handle cleaning up the site under DEC oversight. In addition, DEC's Petroleum Bulk Storage staff are assessing potential violations regarding the improper and undocumented storage of petroleum at this shop," the DEC wrote in a press release.