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Posted on 01/16/2003 4:17:45 AM PST by JimVT
LOCAL NEWS Thursday, January 16, 2003
Dealers warn of contaminated oil
By John Briggs Free Press Staff Writer
As many as 53 households in central Vermont may have received a delivery Wednesday of fuel oil contaminated with gasoline.
The contaminated home heating oil went to homes in South Burlington, Essex, Jericho and the Montpelier areas, said Moe Forcier of the state's Emergency Management office.
He stressed that only Wednesday deliveries were at issue.
Forcier said several home-heating fuel dealers received the oil from their bulk dealer, Ultramar in Essex Junction, which had received the contaminated mixture in a railroad car from Montreal.
The individual dealers were Northern Coal and Oil in Essex Junction; Agway Energy Products in South Burlington; John Leo & Sons in Essex Junction; Miller Oil Company in Colchester; and ABBA Fuels in Milton.
"We're not sure how it happened," he said, "and we don't know what the explosive level is, so we're considering this a serious situation."
Forcier said the dealers had told each of the 53 households of the danger and were checking them one by one. Private contractors trained to handle hazardous materials were off-loading the individual fuel tanks, replacing the contaminated fuel and, in conjunction with the state's hazardous-materials team, checking each of the affected residences for safety.
Local police and fire departments were also alerted to the situation, he said.
He said the problem was discovered when an Agway driver smelled gasoline as he made a delivery; he at once notified his office, Ultramar, the South Burlington Fire Department and the state.
"So hats off to Agway," Forcier said.
Forcier said residents who are concerned they might have received contaminated oil should hit the emergency cut-off switch to their furnace and call their dealer.
"If they smell gasoline," he said, "they should immediately leave the building without turning any switches on or off and call 911 from a neighbor's phone.
Contact John Briggs at 660-1863 or jbriggs@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com
.....you can shut up now
14f 20MPH Clear and Sunny
fyi - we get 4 good months - my furnace runs 8 mos a year - this past months gas & elec bill was $320
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