PETROLEUM SPILL ON LAKE AVE

An alert Elyria Police Officer while on Patrol spotted something suspicious on the Lake Ave Bridge. Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Kelly said that Officer Scott Willis was crossing the Lake Ave Bridge Thursday afternoon when he spotted fluid spilling out of a jug that was lying in the middle of the road. Officer Willis turned his car around and saw car that drove through the fluid spin around on the pavement. Director Kelly said the fluid that was leaking was a petroleum substance, which is either a type of cutting oil or motor oil. “The jug apparently fell off the back of a truck and even though the amount of fluid that leaked was small between the rain and cars driving over it the fluid spread about 400 to 500 feet making the roadway very slippery and dangerous.” Director Kelly said that even though it was not a hazardous material with some of it getting into a storm sewer, which within 40 feet goes right into the river, under Ohio law that is a “reportable release” to the EPA. “We contacted the EPA and notified them of the situation and they were satisfied with what was going on.”

The Elyria Fire Department, Street Department and Waste Water Department were all on scene putting absorbent down on the spill to clean up the roadway.

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