Crime & Safety

Oil Spill on Main Library Parking Lot Deemed 'Minor'

Office of Emergency Management official says the cause of the spill is yet to be determined.

Two fire companies and a hazardous materials truck were called in after reports of an oil spill on the parking lot of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Library's main branch Monday afternoon. Workers on the scene quickly assessed that the incident was nothing serious.

"This was minor. It appeared to be diesel [fuel]," said Jay Geiger, an Office of Emergency Management Hazmat deputy coordinator. "The oil didn't come from the cars in the area, so we don't know where it came from."

Geiger said the amount of oil spilled could be as much as 50 gallons, but he estimated that the actual amount was closer to between 5 and 10 gallons. 

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"With the rain, it spreads and looks worse than it really is," he explained.

Geiger said that he, another hazmat crew member and fire fighters from districts Nos. 3 and 5 sopped up the spilled oil with Speedy Dry, an environmentally friendly absorbent.

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"We got it all before it had time to go into the drains" in the parking lot, Geiger added.

The incident caused no disruption to library patrons.


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