Emergency crews worked overnight to contain and clean a 2,000-gallon (7,570-litre) diesel spill in Baltimore’s Inner Harbour after multiple incidents were reported on Wednesday, AP News informed.
The spill originated at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where an initial 200-gallon leak was contained at its East Baltimore facility. Hours later, the fire department responded to a separate spill at Harbour East Marina over a mile away.
State, city, and US Coast Guard teams coordinated the response, with Hopkins later confirming the total spill volume reached 2,000 gallons.
More than 100 personnel deployed containment booms and used skimmers to remove the dyed fuel, which gave the water a reddish appearance. Fire Chief James Wallace confirmed crews are flushing storm drains to direct residual fuel toward the harbour for collection.
Very speedy response, solid coordination, partnership with our state and federal resources have put us into the position right now. That’s what’s going to drive the remainder of the day and actually the coming days.
Wallace stated that operations would continue through Thursday. Governor Wes Moore emphasised the spill is under control, while Mayor Brandon Scott confirmed no impact on drinking water.
However, cleanup efforts will cause significant traffic disruptions, with officials urging the public to avoid the area.
