STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) — Sterling Heights firefighters were able to keep a diesel fuel spill from spreading further into a local creek after someone crashed a semi-truck they were trying to steal.
Macomb County Public Works officials say the semi-tractor trailer lost its fuel in the parking lot of an industrial building on 15 Mile Road, west of Van Dyke Avenue on Sunday night when the truck struck a concrete abutment.
Sterling Heights firefighters were able to block off the storm drain and used absorbent mats and other material to “prevent most of the diesel fuel from reaching the Busch Drain,” which flows south into the Big Beaver Creek, according to MCPW officials.
Officials say an estimated 50-80 gallons of diesel may have made it into the storm system.
Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller said crews acted quickly after they were “promptly notified” by the Sterling Heights sewer division supervisor about the fuel spill. Her office contacted an environmental services contractor to assist in hazardous materials containment.
A contractor hired by the city is cleaning up the site and the catch basin and has assisted with boom placement, officials said Monday.
As a precaution, workers at the City of Warren’s wastewater division placed an absorbent boom downstream across the Big Beaver Creek at 14 Mile Road to halt any spread of the fuel that may reach that point.
“Spills like this are very unfortunate and often are accidental. In this instance, it resulted when someone tried to steal the semi-truck Sunday night and struck a concrete abutment,” Miller said, per a press release.
She said the incident “also showed how effective the emergency response can be when the multi-agency notification process is followed.”
“When everyone leaps into action like we did today, we protect water quality downstream -- especially at Lake St. Clair – by containment and sopping up spills,” she said.
Authorities have not released any further information on the apparent attempt to steal the truck. It was unclear if officials have identified any suspects.