Diesel Spill In Seattle’s Duwamish River After Boat Accident

SEATTLE, WA – The U.S. Coast Guard and state ecology officials are responding to a diesel fuel spill in the Duwamish waterway between Harbor Island and West Seattle, although the exact size of the spill has not been determined.

The spill happened Tuesday morning after a barge and a tugboat collided. The tugboat’s hull was punctured, state Department of Ecology spokesman Larry Altose said, which resulted in the diesel spill. The tugboat’s fuel tank has a capacity of 9,000 gallons, but Altose said estimates place the spill at a maximum of 1,200 gallons.

The company that owns the boat placed a boom in the water around spill, which likely helped mitigate greater damage, Altose said.

“It’s very encouraging that the company responded promptly,” he said.

The accident happened in the West Duwamish waterway north of the West Seattle Bridge and across from Harbor Island. State and Coast Guard officials will investigate whether the spill traveled farther down the river or into Puget Sound.

Image via U.S. Coast Guard