Environmental crews are working to clean up a diesel spill that happened Tuesday from Union Pacific’s J.R Davis Yard in Roseville, California.
A train leaked diesel fuel for a half mile near Dry Creek, spreading 10 miles on its surface, according to the latest spill report from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
Local emergency management officials met with Union Pacific management on Wednesday to discuss the situation. All media requests on the matter have been deferred to Union Pacific by local emergency agencies.
Union Pacific spokesman Justin Jacobs said the leak has since been contained and several environmental contractors have been working around the clock to clean up the remaining fuel.
“[There is] no concern for ground water contamination at this time,” Jacobs said.
Local county health officials are informing communities of any potential risks associated with the incident, Jacobs said.
Residents and businesses in the area say they’ve noticed bright yellow trucks traveling to and from the railyard since Tuesday. Several residents say they have yet to receive notification of the spill.
The Placer County Environmental Health Department initially reported that diesel was leaking into Dry Creek at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and at a rate of 1.5 gallons per minute, according to a Cal OES Spill Report. Union Pacific was notified of the leak at noon Tuesday and began mitigation efforts immediately afterward, Jacobs said.
“The Union Pacific environmental team, safety professionals, the Roseville Fire Department and environmental contractors responded immediately,” Jacobs said in a statement.
It is still unclear what how the leak began and how much fuel was released, Jacobs said.
The California Fish and Wildlife, Placer and Sacramento County Health officials, the Office of Emergency Services and other representatives are assisting Union Pacific environmental and safety personnel on-site.