Massive Underground Oil Leak at Wakefield Concrete Co.
More than 1,000 gallons of oil has leaked out of an underground storage tank on New Salem Street.
A Wakefield concrete company is in the process of cleaning more than 1,000 gallons of oil out of ground soil and testing the area's water supply and rivers after one of the company's underground tanks gave out last week.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Enviornmental Protection (Mass DEP), J.G. Maclellan Concrete Company, located at 1 New Salem Street in Wakefield, filled a 1,000 gallon underground oil storage tank on Tuesday, January 3rd. By the next day, the entire tank was empty, indicating the oil had leaked out into the ground.
The company hired Commonwealth Tank to do an investigation and an excavation of loose underground oil, reportedly finding up to 200 cubic yards of contaminated soil, said Joseph Ferson, spokeman for the Mass DEP.
"We've also required that they check the Mill River and underground utility and sewer lines," Ferson said. "Luckily there's no water supply wells in the area, but it's too early to make a final determination."
Ferson added it's also too early in the cleanup process to begin discussing fines against the company for the spill.
"Right now they're working on cleanup and recovery of product and addressing the immediate impacts," he said.
Maura Racamato
8:40 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
This is a terrible situation. This area is surrounded by wetlands and streams. I wonder how long this tank was leaking before it finally let go. Are these underground tanks inspected periodically? Thank you and please continue reporting on this.
Sara Jacobi
10:00 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
I will definitely be checking in with the DEP again next week and will write a followup!
Paul Mozell
11:52 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
I wonder what other sources of pollution there may be along the Mill River, which runs into the Saugus River.
Dave Gray
10:26 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
Take a look at where the river passes under Water Street. There's are 3 or 4 auto body shops right next to the river, and also a car wash - all candidates for contamination.
Tom
5:58 pm on Saturday, January 14, 2012
I'm quite sure DEP will make sure Maclellan cleans up the mess it's responsible for. However be very careful before you start resorting to the ever so typical nowadays knee jerk reactions that auto body shops or other businesses in that area are possible suspects for contamination as well, without probable cause or evidence to prove it.
Dave Gray
12:35 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tom, what knee jerk reaction would you be talking about? Paul speculated about what other sources of contamination might be present. I speculated that body shops and a car wash might be, if they were in close proximity to the river. Crashed cars have a way of leaking fluids - gas, oil, transmission fluid , brake fluid, anti-freeze, etc. In the May flood a couple of years ago, there were several wrecked cars that ended up in several feet of water when the river overflowed. It's not outside the realm of possibility to speculate about what leeched into the river in that instance.
Probable cause is defined as "that set of facts or circumstances that would make a reasonable and prudent person conclude that a crime has been, or will be, committed." Last time I looked, speculating was not a crime. Accidental spillage isn't a crime either, unless you can prove negligence, and who said anything about negligence?