Tugboat sinks, spilling over 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel into Tennessee River

FLORENCE, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) - Authorities say more than 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the Tennessee River after a tugboat sank near the O’Neal Bridge in Florence, Alabama.

WAFF reports it’s not clear exactly when the boat sank, but fuel began washing up on the beaches surrounding McFarland Park around 10 a.m. Sunday.

Police say the boat released between 3,000 and 5,000 gallons of diesel into the water.

George Grabryan, the director for Lauderdale County’s Emergency Management Agency, says they don’t know what caused the boat to sink. For now, he says the focus is on limiting the damage and cleaning up as much of the fuel as possible.

A boom was put in place to try to keep the spill contained.

A fuel spill into the Tennessee River is impacting beaches in Florence, Alabama. Cleanup is... — A fuel spill into the Tennessee River is impacting beaches in Florence, Alabama. Cleanup is now under way.(Source: Florence Police Department via CNN)

Grabryan says the cleanup will be a long process.

“It takes several days, usually, on something like that because you’ve got to also check downstream to make sure you got any residual picked up that may deposit itself on the shoreline,” he said.

Police closed the beach-area as a precaution. They are urging people to stay out of the water until further notice.

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