HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Foam used to fight an electrical fire at a local steel mill caused oil to spill into the Allegheny River overnight.

The internal treatment system overloaded with foam at the Allegheny Ludlum Steel plant in Harrison Township, which resulted in the spewing of an oily black layer on the river on Saturday morning.

A state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that a mixture of foam, oil and debris got into the river after the fire fight.

Workers used oil absorbent pads and a giant boom to soak up the mess. A company representative said damage was minor, no one was hurt and they continue to investigate a cause.

"We came down here and we met a couple and they said, 'There have been oil spills and they recommend you not to go in the water,'" said Chuck Smeltzer, of Brackenridge.

"We got our families down here today -- a 90-degree day -- to go swimming off the boat and we can't use the boats," said Ray Fortuna, of Tarentum. "The boats are covered with oil. The river's coated with a sheen, like a slick -- a gas slick, and there's big globs of oil coming down."

"I think they should clean all these boats up. All these boats that has oil on it," said Tom Kish, of Brackenridge.

Owners of those boats may be able to get them cleaned. The DEP said the boat owners should call 724-226-5555.

---

Related Links:
More County News
Get RSS Headlines | Free Desktop Alert

---