Nearly 8K gallons of gasoline spill in Kane County, closing roadways in area
Gasoline spilled from gas station into drainage ditch, wetland: Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District
LILY LAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- Kane County officials have shut down a roadway in a western suburb after nearly 8,000 gallons of gasoline spilled in the area.
Route 64 in Lily Lake was shut down between Route 47 and Hanson Road throughout Wednesday and into Thursday morning after the leak, the Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District said.
Just after 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, fire crews responded to a Shell gas station, located at 44W322 Illinois Route 64 in Lily Lake, for the report of a gasoline odor.
When crews arrived, they found gasoline mixed with rainwater flowing across the property, into a drainage ditch and into a nearby wetland area.
Part of the gas station's fueling center had been under construction, and a heavy flow of rainwater run-off appeared to flood some of the gasoline tanks, causing the spill, fire officials said.
It was later determined that nearly 8,000 gallons of gasoline had been released.
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Power was shut off at the station and an adjacent property due to gasoline vapors, and Route 64 was closed.
The Kane County Office of Emergency Management, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency have been notified.
The agencies worked to determine the impacted wetland areas and prioritize actions that needed to be taken to help contain the continued spread beyond the area, fire officials said. The West Chicago Fire Protection District and Kane County Department of Environmental and Water Resources worked with the Illinois EPA to identify the areas that needed emergency attention to prevent the spread into the Ferson Creek Headwaters.
Private contractors have been secured to prevent any further leaking and begin efforts to clean up the contaminated areas.
"There is no life risk to those living in the immediate area, and a reassessment of the situation will be conducted on Thursday morning for the continuation of environmental and property conservation," local officials said.
