800 gallons of fuel spilled at Wildwood Wawa near a back bay over the weekend
The spill occurred as a tanker was making a fuel delivery to the store.
Roughly 800 gallons of gasoline from a tanker spilled Sunday at the Wawa on West Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood, causing authorities to evacuate and close the store, which has since been reopened.
Daniel Dunn, deputy fire chief of the Wildwood City Fire Department, said the spill took place about 4:30 p.m. as the tanker was delivering fuel.
Dunn said emergency crews immediately began to contain the spill, minimize its environmental impact, eliminate potential sources of ignition, and create a perimeter. Storm drains, which flow to the back bay, were blocked.
The scene was cleared about 11 p.m., and the store and nearby streets have all been reopened after the tanker spilled enough fuel to fill the gas tanks of 53 cars.
The store is a few hundred feet from a back bay.
“The United States Coast Guard was notified due to an unknown amount of gasoline entering nearby storm drains which drain to the intercoastal waterways on the city’s west side,” Dunn said in a statement.
Lori Bruce, a spokesperson for Wawa, said the spill was the result of “a potential equipment malfunction on a third-party fuel delivery tanker who was making a delivery to the store.”
“We are working closely with local authorities to assess the situation and will ensure all parties complete any and all additional steps to protect the environment if necessary,” Bruce said.
The Cape May County Health Department’s Hazardous Materials unit responded, and the New Jersey Department of Environment was notified.
The delivery truck was operated by a driver for Hammonton-based S. Carluzzo Petroleum Transporters. The company contacted Royersford, Pa.-based Lewis Environmental to handle the cleanup.
Lewis remained on the scene as of at least Monday morning, according to the fire department’s statement.
This story has been updated to include information from the Wildwood City Fire Department.