The state Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and South King Fire & Rescue are responding to a diesel fuel spill leaking into a small creek at Dash Point State Park that empties to south Puget Sound.
The site is just south of Des Moines in Federal Way.
The 300-gallon, privately-owned tank is used to fill construction and other work equipment. A worker with Long Painting noticed nothing unusual when he went into a trailer at the equipment site about 7:45 p.m. Thursday. When he left the trailer about 8:35 p.m., diesel fuel was flowing across a parking lot, into a grassy area, soaking into the ground and going into a creek about 700 feet from where it enters Puget Sound.
The spill was reported to the state Department of Ecology about 10 p.m. The cause and volume of the spill are under investigation, but initial reports indicate an equipment failure on the tank. It had been filled recently, and the spill emptied the tank.
Absorbent pads are being used to keep remaining fuel in the creek from further entering Puget Sound. South King County Fire & Rescue is bringing a trailer containing oil spill response equipment, including containment booms and more absorbent pads and materials.
The equipment trailer was pre-positioned by the state Department of Ecology in 2006 at the nearby Des Moines Marina.
Cleanup contractor NRC Environmental Services was hired to help contain and clean up the fuel. The company launched a boat to deploy boom in Puget Sound, but the fuel was too thin to recover from the surface of the water.
Oil absorbent boom and pads are in the creek to soak up any additional fuel that seeps from the creek bank into the water.
The King County Sheriff's Office flew a helicopter over the area and used infrared imaging to get a picture of the spill.
The area of the park where the spill occurred will be closed.
Ecology will continue its investigation and will work with fish and wildlife officials to determine what environmental damage resulted from the spill. Cultural resource and archeological officials also will consult local tribes to ensure cleanup efforts do not cause further damage.
Oil was visible in the surrounding water. Oil spilled in water typically forms oily patches that spread out quickly. These oil slicks can cover many acres of water.
All oil spills cause environmental damage, regardless of size. Oil is toxic to the environment and the damage starts as soon as the oil hits water. A single quart of oil has the potential to foul more than 100,000 gallons of water.
