by Alex Nuti-de Biasi for the Journal-Opinion

Fuel spill stirs response Wells River Village and state officials are monitoring a 600-gallon fuel oil spill near the source of the village’s public water supply.

The spill happened in the basement of the Evernorth-owned Baldwin Block, a mixed-use downtown building that hosts the post office and multiple apartments.

According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, two aboveground 330-gallon fuel oil tanks were filled on Jan. 6. The following morning the tank legs were found to have dropped through a wooden basement floor causing a valve to break. Some 50 gallons remained in the tank after the spill.

The location of the spill is 75-100 feet away from the village water source. The system serves nearly 300 customers.

Approximately 14 cubic yards of contaminated soil have since been removed, but contaminant removal from the ground could continue for some time.

So far, tests have shown there to be no contamination of the water, officials said yesterday during a meeting of the village trustees.

We will have more in next week’s edition.