Clean-up operation underway following oil spill
By Terry Ang,WNS Xavier Island Correspondent
XAVIER - A clean-up operation is under way after heating oil spilled from a tanker, forcing evacuation of homes and leaving two people needing medical attention. The work is expected to last two days after about 300 gallons (1,150 litres) of kerosene ran into water courses in the coastal island of Xavier. Kerosene reached the beach 150m (450ft) away, raising worries for sea life. Some oil was visible in the sea close to shore, but heavy rain raised hopes it would be dispersed quickly. Two elderly people were given medical help because of fumes and two houses and a shop were evacuated after the spill on Thursday afternoon.
The Environment Agency said it was considering taking enforcement action. Michael Pearson, whose office is yards from the site of the spill, said he had initially thought it was an oil leak from a car when fire engines arrived on Thursday afternoon. "Obviously that wasn't the case and we soon realised the scale of the problem," he said. "One of my staff who lives not far from the spillage had to be evacuated from her house along with her grandparents who live nearby. "They all came down the hotel where paramedics called and checked them out." He said the heating oil had flowed down a steep bank and into some gullies before reaching the beach. "It looks as though some got onto a beach in the town," he added. Much of the oil, which flowed down a narrow pathway between houses, has been soaked up by sand laid by environment officials.
posted by wnsworld @ 7:54 PM
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