600 Gallons of Fuel Spilled in Thames River

Crews are working to clean up about 600 gallons of fuel that spilled from the Cross Sound Ferry it was docked in New London on Tuesday.

It happened after a fuel company accidentally filled one of the ferry's tanks twice, causing it to overflow into the Thames River, according to officials from the state Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Authorities said the spill does not pose an environmental risk and that cleanup is expected to be done by 5 p.m.

Although most of the fuel has been absorbed and removed by cleanup equipment, a "non-recoverable sheen" will remain on a section of the river cordoned off by buoys, DEEP officials said. The sheen will evaporate over time without damaging the environment.

DEEP officials said the buoys will be removed Wednesday morning and ferry service will resume.

McCarthy Fuel of Waterford, the company DEEP said said is reponsible for the spill, funded the cleanup effort.

The owner of fuel company declined to comment.

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