More than 10,000 gallons of crude oil spilled out of three oil storage tanks in Forest County Thursday morning when vandals opened the valves on them, and then a fire started during the cleanup effort.
Catalyst Energy of Cranberry Township notified state officials and called in cleanup crews when they discovered the leaks. The state Department of Environmental Protection said much of the oil went into underground brine tanks.
But Friday, an excavator hit a rock while workers were digging a pit to collect the spilled oil. The friction caused a spark, which started a fire, according to DEP spokeswoman Fred Tarbell. The Marienville Fire Department used foam to suppress the fire, she said...more
TIONESTA -- Vandals opened the valves on three oil-storage tanks, spilling more than 10,000 gallons of crude oil, state police said.
Much of the oil fell into underground brine tanks, officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said. That limited the environmental effect.
The company that operates the tanks -- Catalyst Energy, of Cranberry Township -- notified state officials and called in cleanup crews when the leaks were discovered early Thursday morning.
The company lost more than $1,000 in crude oil and could spend as much as $6,000 on the cleanup, police said.
That effort was complicated Friday when an excavator struck a rock as workers dug a pit to collect the spilled oil.
The friction caused a spark, which started a fire, DEP spokeswoman Freda Tarbell said....more
