This browser does not support the Video element.
Waukesha diesel spill 'accidental,' official says; residents alarmed
A Canadian National truck spilled diesel onto Waukesha streets for roughly a mile and a half Tuesday. An official called it "accidental." Residents are alarmed.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - For roughly a mile and a half, the Waukesha police and fire departments said a Canadian National truck spilled diesel along city streets Monday, April 17.
Neighbors said the largest pool of fuel was right in front of Elisa Morales' home.
"They started putting some kind of rocky stuff to absorb it. Then they had a sweeper come and sweep it up," said Morales.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Assistant Fire Chief Joe Hoffman said the leak started around 2:15 p.m. Monday near Busse and Redford. It continued to the area of East and Main. Hoffman said there was a malfunction on the truck, and called the spill "accidental."
"People could have died and got hurt. They have to stay on top of that," said resident Charlie Morgan. "There’s a lot of carelessness going on in the workforce these days."
Length of diesel spill in Waukesha
Morgan has lived in the area his whole life. His first thought was another spill in Waukesha County just one month ago; New Berlin's mayor declared a state of emergency after an oil spill at Moorland Auto Repair. At the time, investigators said a 350-gallon oil storage tote leaked into a nearby pond. FOX6 News stopped by Tuesday, and the area was still restricted.
"There’s got to be more precaution," Morgan said.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
Wakuesha police expect Canadian National to pay for Waukesha's cleanup. In a statement, a Canadian National spokesperson said:
"CN is aware of the situation and is offering its support to local authorities.
"We would like to thank first responders for their quick response and we apologize to the community for this incident."
Crews clean up diesel spill in Waukesha
Morales said that isn't enough.
"They should fine him. Because he needs to know that’s a safety issue," said Morales. "Gasoline is nothing to play with."
The fire department said diesel did not ever reach the Fox River. FOX6 reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for more info on the New Berlin cleanup, and the DNR said work there is still ongoing.
Statement from Waukesha Fire Department:
The City of Waukesha Police and Fire Departments responded to a complaint of an unknown substance spilled on the roadway in the area of North Street/ W Moreland Boulevard / White Rock Avenue/ Main Street/ Hartwell Avenue in the City of Waukesha at 2:15 pm, April 17, 2023. As Police and Fire Department personnel arrived in the area, the Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team was able to identify and mitigate the spill while the Police Department controlled traffic and investigated to determine the cause/origin. The Waukesha Police Department was able to determine that a vehicle was accidentally releasing the substance. The spill areas were mitigated and remediated by Fire Department personnel with the assistance of the City of Waukesha Department of Public Works.
The cause of the spill was a malfunction of the on-board diesel refueling system on the spilling vehicle. The responsible party was identified by the Waukesha Police Department and will be billed for the mitigation efforts. Fire Department personnel were able to determine that none of the spilled materials were able to make it into the Fox River. The Fire Department is working with the Wisconsin DNR and Waukesha County Office of Emergency Management for the investigation into the spill. The cause is believed to be employee error. There were no injuries caused by the spill.
The Waukesha Fire Department would like to acknowledge the great work of the Waukesha Police Department in quickly identifying the spiller and the rapid response of the Public Works Department, which resulted in avoidance of further harm.