Friday, July 24, 2015
BROOKFIELD
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency assisted local agencies in containing a crude oil spill that originated in Trumbull County Friday morning and made its way to the Shenango River in Pennsylvania forcing — Aqua Pennsylvania to turn off its pumps.
While the spill was quickly contained with booms along Big Run and Shenango, cleanup was still underway Friday night and Aqua Pennsylvania, which provides drinking water to customers in Pennsylvania and Ohio, had not been given the go-ahead by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to resume taking water from the river.
As a result, Aqua asked customers in Brookfield Township, Hubbard Township and Hubbard city, along with several communities in Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania, to conserve water until further notice. That’s about 50,000 people, said Donna Alston, an Aqua spokeswoman.
A fisherman discovered the oil in Big Run Creek, at tributary of the Shenango River, at about 8:16 a.m., and call 911.
First responders reported the oil was leaking from a rusted storage container that holds crude oil separated from a gas well near 2601 Orangeville Road N.E. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was contacted and assisted with containment of the leak, said Linda Oros, an OEPA spokeswoman.
Brookfield Fire Capt. Mike Hagood said the spill started on a residence on Orangeville Road near Sharpsville-Thompson Road. He said the oil moved through the property in Red Run Creek along Orangeville Road and entered the Shenango River at the North Water Street Bridge just a few blocks from the Aqua water treatment plant.
Read MORE in Saturday's Vindicator.