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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cleanup Starts On Puget Sound Diesel Spill

Associated Press

About 26,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Puget Sound early Saturday from a barge under tow near Anacortes, the Coast Guard and the state announced.

Leakage from the barge, which had been carrying 2.6 million gallons of the No. 2 fuel, stopped before dawn, about three hours after the spill was reported at 1 a.m.

The barge, owned by Crowley Marine Services, had brought the fuel from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Jack Island, about three miles north of Anacortes. It was to be transferred there to another vessel for shipment to Seattle.

Divers hired by Crowley found leaks in two of the barge’s compartments. The largest was 4 feet long and 4 inches wide, with a 20-foot scrape leading into it. The smaller leak was a 10-inch crack.

The cause of the accident was under investigation, said a release from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound in Seattle.

Crowley believes the damage may have been caused by “some kind of rock pinnacle,” said Department of Ecology spokesman Ron Langley.

A boom placed around the vessel recovered between 150 and 200 gallons of spilled fuel, he said.

The rest was visible in ribbons of sheen extending from north of Orcas Island through Rosario Strait into the area of Cyprus and Guemes islands - a distance of about 20 miles.

Some lighter sheens were reported as far north as Point Roberts near the Canadian border, the Coast Guard said.

“Due to rapid evaporation and dispersion, most of the spilled oil cannot be recovered,” the release said.

Most of the fuel was reported in deep water, though some may be near the shore of Guemes Island, Langley said.

There have been no reports of oiled wildlife, but the state Department of Fish and Wildlife was asking that any sightings be reported to its wildlife-recovery number, (206) 664-8397.

Crowley asked that anyone wishing to report damage from the spill call its toll-free number, (800) 774-5590.

Cleanup contractors including Foss Environmental, Global Diving & Salvage and Clean Sound were hired by Crowley to respond to the spill. Skimmers were on the scene and more equipment was en route.

The state and the Coast Guard were conducting surveillance flights.