HAZMAT team continues cleaning Rouge oil spill

A waste oil spill into the Rouge River in theCity of Wayne
was apparently due to a damaged 55-gallon drum at a
warehouse in the city, according to HAZMAT officials. The
visible sheen was reported to police and fire departments
by local residents.

A waste oil spill into the Rouge River in the City of Wayne was apparently due to a damaged 55-gallon drum at a warehouse in the city, officials said.

State officials said cleanup work began around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14 after there were several reports of an oily sheen on the water. Responders found an outside storm sewer covered in waste oil, and the spill trail led to a damaged drum at the business, which is also known as Steel Pro and Michigan Metal Trans Inc., at 36253 Michigan Ave, Wayne.

Cleanup of the site was under way last weekend and state officials at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy said they learned about an oil sheen reported on the Rouge River in the City of Wayne around 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13.  Emergency hazardous material responders found the spilled waste oil came from the Wayne Industries warehouse and entered the river.

Western Wayne Hazmat Team responders deployed booms and absorbent pads where the oil sheen was seen on the surface of the river which was first reported to the Wayne Fire Department.  According to an official posting from the Wayne Police Department, the unknown substance floating on the area of the Rouge which travels through Wayne was reported to them by both City Councilman Alfred Brock and city resident Bill Schmidt.

Members of the fire department placed booms in the water to attempt to control the substance and the amount of the then unidentified fluid had visibly increased from Friday until Saturday when the Hazmat team was called for assistance.

The Wayne County Hazmat team had taken the lead on the matter Sunday and the Wayne Fire Department was assisting as needed. On Sunday, eight or 10 HazMat members were on site deploying booms and deep booming to collect the substance. 

Police said the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and the National Response Center were been notified as required by water response guidelines.