Woodmere oil spill still an issue

UPDATED:

A day after the oil spill, a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) clean up crew was on Peninsula Boulevard, and you could smell the odor of the spilled gasoline.

A tanker truck leaked fuel after an accident on Peninsula Boulevard between Lafayette Drive and Saddle Ridge Road in Woodmere which caused authorities to close Peninsula Boulevard south of Mill Road in both directions for much of July 22.

The front portion of the fully loaded tanker carrying 10,000 gallons of gasoline struck a tree on Peninsula Boulevard east of Saddle Ridge Road at 5:30 a.m. on July 22, resulting in a large gash to the the rear of the truck on the driver's side causing a substantial amount of gas to spill onto the roadway. Firefighters from multiple departments, including Woodmere and Lawrence-Cedarhurst applied foam and set up sand blocks to avert the gas from going into storm drains. The driver was not injured, and a second tanker arrived to off load what gas remained in the damaged tanker.

Approximately 45 houses located along a nearly one-mile stretch of homes on both Peninsula Blvd. and Westwood Road, between the cross streets of Woodmere Blvd. and Mill Road had been evacuated, according to the Fourth Police Precinct. Residents were allowed back into their homes by noon.

The tanker is divided into five compartments and only the first compartment, which held 3.400 gallons of gasoline was compromised, when the truck was damaged, according to DEC officials. The DEC is estimating that 2,000 gallons of gas spilled out. There were impacts to storm drains and vacuum trucks are attempting to remove as much gas as possible to avert a significant impact on Doxey Creek.

"DEC staff in conjunction with Fire Departments (and) Fire Marshall staff will evaluate how effective this is," said Aphorodite Montalvo, a DEC officials. "Typically what sometimes happens in these cases are storm drains are flushed and then contaminated soil is removed. Gasoline can not be contained, like oil can be, because of its explosive potential that is why we are working with the Fire Departments (and) Fire Marshalls on this."

The truck, owned by Commack-based Crown Transportation, hired Miller Environmental Group to conduct the clean up. The U.S. Coast Guard were also notified of the spill.

Vehicles were diverted east on Mill Road to West Broadway. One frustrated motorist described the area as being "like a parking lot."