Oil Spill In Charles River Contained, Investigation Underway: DEP

WALTHAM, MA — Now that it has been contained, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection investigators are working to figure out just what caused an oil spill in the Charles River discovered Thursday night behind the Shaw's on River Road.

DEP spokesperson Ed Coletta said as emergency responders returned to the area Thursday to continue collecting samples from the river and from the nearby sewer and drain system an EPA Inspector was also headed out to investigate.

Wednesday evening a passerby happened to notice something oily leaking into the river behind Shaw's. They dialed 911 at 4:10 p.m. and told the dispatcher it looked like an oily substance leaking into the river. Waltham Fire officials raced over to take a look. They were met with the heavy smell of diesel or home heating oil and the tell-tale sheen on the river.

Minutes later they sent for the hazmat teams and boats, trailers and more companies to assist with the spill. Within the half hour they'd placed special dikes and booms and contained the leak to that section of the river, according to Waltham Fire Spokesman Lt. Scott Perry.

"They put those protective measures in place and from there the DEP took over the investigation. It's a joint effort to figure out where this is coming from," said Perry.

Coletta said investigators did find a drainage outfall pipe that goes into the area of 172 River St.

"There was actually a substantial amount of oil in that area," said Coletta.

They deployed material there to contain the spill. Then they started searching through the underground storm system, in an effort to trace the oil. They found some oil in the piping and in some manholes, he said.

It's unclear how long the oil was leaking into the river before the person came along and reported, say authorities. It's also unclear just how much oil leaked into the river. But by 11:30 p.m. a private clean up crew from NRC Environmental Service removed 300 gallons of oil and water from drain pipes near the corner of River and Willow streets and are placing absorbent pads on the oil in the river to get up the rest, according to Coletta.

The DEP official said they found oil beneath manholes in the area near the Corner of River and Willow, the corner of Willow and Parker's Lane. They took some samples of the oil to make sure they're the same as the oil material found in the river.

YESTERDAY: Oil Spill In Charles River In Waltham Draws Hazmat Response

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