Port Washington fuel spill contained before reaching Manhasset Bay, officials say
Fuel from a leaking 7,500-gallon tanker truck made its way into storm drains in Port Washington early Wednesday, but the spill was contained before it reached Manhasset Bay, officials said.
The incident was reported at 9:38 a.m., and the Port Washington Police, Port Washington Fire Department and a hazmat team all responded to the scene at Fifth Avenue and Main Street, Nassau County Assistant Chief Fire Marshal James Hickman said.
Hickman said responders had contained the spill to two storm drains, but the U.S. Coast Guard, state Environmental Conservation Police and bay constables were alerted and on scene in the bay to monitor the situation. Hickman said the Department of Environmental Conservation has also been notified and is responding, though was not yet on scene late Wednesday morning.
"It did get into the storm drains," Hickman said, "but so far it's been restricted to two local drains and has not made it into the bay... We believe it's limited to the two local isolated storm drains affected."
It was unclear how much fuel remained in the truck, Hickman said. He said the carrier, which was not identified, was also responding to offload any remaining fuel on board the truck.
Police said the leak was caused by an equipment issue.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
