Diesel leak cleaned up at Horizon

Several agencies pulled together in a hazardous material cleanup Monday morning after diesel spilled from the fueling island at Horizon Resources on Second Street.

"About 10:30 a.m., a flatbed trailer caught a pump, left the pump loose which opened up a diesel fuel line which leaked out diesel," said Williston Fire Chief Alan Hanson. He estimated under 100 gallons of diesel fuel leaked in the process.

"It did get into the storm sewer system. Shane Herman of Enviro Shield Products has abilities to get into to clean up," Hanson said. "The Public Works Department is in the process of trying to get that fuel stopped before it hits any of the Corps land."

He said there had been a lot of good cooperation between the Williams County Emergency Management, the Williston Fire Department, the city and the Corps of Engineers.

"They will do what they have to for cleaning it up," Hanson said. "It's a mild fire danger. It's diesel fuel. It's not as volatile as gasoline. The temperatures are good. They're not a fire danger for our purposes."

Hanson said the fire department got one of the first phone calls regarding the mishap.

"We got the ball rolling for clean-up. Enviro Shield is here to clean it up," he said.

He and Williams County Emergency Manager Ed Lodwig expected cleanup to be completed by the end of Monday.

"(The storm water) does eventually end up on Corps land, that's why we had the Corps involved," Hanson said.

Herman was applying several absorbent pads to prevent more diesel from entering the drainage system.

"He'll be able to pick up a majority of this stuff. There will be no problems with the storm water sewer system," said Hanson.

Williston Public Works Director Monte Meiers said the fuel was being dammed up within the storm sewer system to prevent it from flowing into the Corps. Enviro Shield would finish the cleanup job from there.

The recovery effort was expected to finish by day's end.

Lodwig monitored the recovery of the spill.