Local fire officials and state environmental crews responded Friday morning to Circle K gas station in Liberty, where they worked to clean up about 50 gallons of leaked diesel fuel.
The state Department of Environmental Protection was at the site, where the diesel was discharged during a fuel delivery to an above-ground storage tank, according to David Madore, DEP’s deputy commissioner.
“The tank was overfilled and spilled out the vent line,” Madore said in response to an email seeking comment. “Gaftek was already on-scene during routine inspections of the tank and was able to assist the delivery driver immediately with the distribution of sorbents. Most of the discharge spilled to the tank pad but some escaped to the surrounding ground.”
Sorbents are materials used to absorb oil from the spill. Gaftek Inc. is a petroleum services company that serves the Northeast and has an office in Bangor.
A marsh near the spill site showed no signs of oily contamination, according to Madore.
“Efforts are currently underway to collect the used sorbents and use sorbents mineral to better remediate the tank pad,” he said. “Efforts to excavate will be made later today but will likely move into tomorrow.”
The store and gas station at 498 Belfast Augusta Road, which also is Route 3, is located just west of Lake St. George Brewing Co. and east of John’s Ice Cream.
The manager at Circle K said in a phone call that he had no information about the spill.
A person who answered the phone at Liberty Fire Department just after 9 a.m. said he was not authorized to speak for the department but that crews were still at the scene.
The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the incident, according to a woman who answered the phone there.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
