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Downtown Crossing Diesel Fuel Spill -February 28, 2002 DEP Emergency Response is responsible for ensuring adequate responses to large and small spills by the responsible parties (or through DEPs use of public funds). DEP provides on-site staff to supervise cleanup operations for large spills, spills being cleaned up with public funds, or spills in sensitive areas. On February 28, 2002 a punctured diesel fuel tank on a truck spilled approximately 45 gallons of diesel fuel onto streets and into catch basins in the Downtown Crossing area of Boston. DEP staff provided technical supervision to ensure the spill was properly cleaned up. Although this spill was typical of the small spills DEPs Emergency Response staff routinely deals with, it received a high level of media attention because of its impact in a crowded area.
The diesel fuel tank on this truck was punctured by a steel plate on Winter Street on the morning of February 28, 2002. While this spill is small in comparison to other spills, it received a high level of media attention because of its location at Downtown Crossing.
The spill impacted three Boston streets. These streets included:
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Winter Street, Boston |
Washington Street, Boston |
Milk Street, Boston |
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Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Robert Donovan, coordinates spill response/cleanup with Boston Fire Department and Boston Department of Public Works staff.
DEP staff helps coordinate spill response by containing this release: a number of catch basins were impacted. DEP staff directs Boston Department of Public Works and Boston Water and Sewer Commission staff to stop the fuel from flowing into the catch basins. DEP staff also advises them to place adsorbent material in the catch basins to soak up the fuel.
DEP staff works with the press to answer questions and update them on spill cleanup activities. Channels 7 and 56 reporters, emergency response staff and vehicles, a portion of the spill location, and DEP's main office are featured in these pictures.
After working through the night, the environmental contractor cleaned up the oil from the streets and catch basins. The pictures below are the same views as shown above but were taken 24 hours later. The oil has been removed.
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Winter Street, Boston |
Washington Street, Boston |
Milk Street, Boston |
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