On December 16, 2018 at 0742 hours the Trenton Fire Department (TFD) dispatch was notified by a citizen that an oily substances was floating on the water within the Frank & Poet Drain and that substance had a very strong odor of fuel. TFD representatives conduct site reconnaissance at a foot bridge crossing the drain at the intersection of Westfield and Northfield. The representatives walked the area investigating the creek, there were no bystanders in the area and no oily substances were identified and the scene was cleared without incident.
Later that day TFD dispatch received additional calls concerning odors with a potential hazardous material spill in the water. TFD reconnaissance identified an odor of possible kerosene along with a rainbow-colored sheen on top of the water. Further investigation revealed the source to be a storm drain that connects into the Frank & Poet Drain, north of this location near King & Westfield Road. At 1458 Hours the Downriver Hazmat Team (DHT) was activated by TFD and containment boom was deployed. Marathon Oil was noted to have a pipeline in the vicinity and they were contacted. A representative from Marathon Oil arrived at the scene and conveyed to TFD and DHT that their pipeline was carrying propane. Marathon provided absorbent boom to TFD and DHT and was deployed at the storm drain discharge outfall and also at the footbridge at Westfield & Northfield. The Frank & Poet Drain is a tributary to Lake Erie.
At 1438 Hours the NRC was contacted (Incident Report #1233164) EPA Phone Duty officer contacted Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and was notified that they would investigate.
