WOOLWICH TWP. – An accidental diesel fuel spill of approximately 800 gallons occurred on Dec. 19 during refueling operations of an above-ground storage tank at Erdner Bros. Inc. The third-party fuel delivery service immediately began mitigation efforts while additional resources were requested.
The trucking and logistics business is located on Davidson Road in Woolwich Township.
According to information from Gloucester County Emergency Management, at the time of the incident, the area was experiencing heavy rainfall which quickly carried the majority of the fuel off-site into the Church Run tributary. Church Run flows into Lake Narraticon in Swedesboro and continues downstream toward Raccoon Creek.
Residents of the effected areas may experience intermittent petroleum odors during clean up with full remediation expecting to take several weeks. According to the county, periods of precipitation and increased watershed flow may influence recovery efforts.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Bureau of Emergency Response were on scene along with local officials to support cleanup operations. New Jersey Fish & Wildlife and Water Supply were also notified.
According to the county, currently, there are no indications of immediate impacts to fish or wildlife, as mitigation efforts remain the primary focus. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have also been notified and updated due to the potential of environmental and tidal waterway impacts.
Gloucester County HazMat, Woolwich Township, the Borough of Swedesboro, and their respective Offices of Emergency Management remain fully engaged in all necessary aspects of the remediation process.
By Karen E. Viereck, Editor/Publisher
4 Responses
Residents of the “Affected” area.
I apoligize for the error.
Was Afff foam used?
I’m not sure but mitigating measures were taken.