Hundreds of Gallons of Diesel Fuel Spill After Old Saybrook Fire

Some 300 gallons of fuel spilled into a marshy area of Old Saybrook when "extensive" fire broke out at a moving and storage facility Wednesday afternoon, state officials said.

Firefighters said flames engufled a dumpster, dozens of discarded truck tires and a large diesel tank at H.A. Latham Movers at 175 Elm Street. The fire, which broke out at 4 p.m., also spread into the nearby woods.

According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the fire started in a detached building that contained a 1,000-gallon above-ground fuel storage tank, along with two smaller, connected 275-gallon tanks.

Flames opened up the side wall of one of the smaller tanks, causing 300 gallons of fuel to spill into the soil and marsh, the DEEP said. So far, officials have recovered about 50 gallons of fuel and will need to excavate the area to get at the rest.

A spokesperson for the DEEP said the spilled fuel has leaked into the ground water and marsh.

Fire officials said Amtrak service was briefly halted during firefighting efforts, but railroad officials said trains were not disrupted.

Firefighters from Westbrook and Old Lyme provided mutual aid.

It's not clear what caused the fire.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

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