Multiple agencies responded to a fuel spill at the Enighed Pond Marine cargo facility on St. John, which occurred about 2:15 p.m. Friday, January 7.
At about 2:15 p.m. a 10,000-gallon, five-compartment fuel tank was being off-loaded from a barge when the tank rubbed against the barge causing a five-inch puncture in the front compartment, according to V.I. Fire Department officials.
The fuel tank contained premium gasoline that was shipped from the HOVENSA Oil Refinery for the E&C Gas Station on St. John. The front compartment contained approximately 3,000 gallons of premium gasoline.
The Fire Services’ Zulu Company immediately responded to contain the spill along with the V.I. Police Department which cordoned off Route 102 — from the V.I. Water and Power Authority’s treatment plant to the tennis court at Cruz Bay — from vehicular traffic.
The fuel tank was moved to an unimproved lot at Enighed Pond where the V.I. Department of Public Works worked with local trucking companies to quickly create a dirt barrier around the tank to contain the spill from spreading beyond the lot.
The Fire Service is estimating that about 1,000 gallons of fuel seeped from the tank’s front compartment onto the barge and on land. The remaining fuel was suctioned out from the compartment. While some of the fuel spilled into the water, the amount was unclear.
Other responding agencies included VITEMA, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the VI Port Authority. As of 5 p.m. the spill was completely contained and traffic was once again flowing through Cruz Bay.
