Norfolk Southern Railway has taken responsibility for more than 1,000 gallons of fuel that spilled into Citico Creek and the Tennessee River on Monday. The railroad is working to ensure the environmental impact of the spill is minimized. They deployed containment booms on Monday night to prevent more of the spill from entering the water.
Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner said “The challenge is being able to take a spill like this, in excess of 1,000 gallons, and try to contain it as much as possible….the Tennessee River is a water source for the city of Chattanooga. We’re mindful of that, as well. We’re making every effort to make sure as much of it is contained and cleaned up as possible….if there’s any silver lining to a petroleum product being released, it is that it tends to want to float and stay up high, which is pretty far away from the intakes.” Garner and Tennessee American Water spokeswoman Daphne Kirksey said that despite the spill being located downstream from the spill they do not feel it will be a threat to the drinking water supply. So far none of the water samples tested show any signs of contaminated water entering the city ‘s water supply.
More than 1,000 gallons of fuel spill into Tennessee waterway
