At approximately 9am on January 15, a tanker
hauling 7,350 gallons of red dye diesel fuel overturned on Route T in
Labadie, MO. The cargo leaked directly into a flowing, intermediate tributary of Labadie Creek. The incident location was approximately 0.7 miles upstream from Labadie Creek and 3 miles upstream of the
confluence of Labadie Creek and the Missouri River.
The local fire department arrived on-scene and attempted damming and diking. The Franklin County Homeland Security Response Team responded with absorbent booms and pads. Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) State On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) from the St. Louis Regional Office also responded. The Kiesel Company self-responded to assist with absorbents, a vac truck, and personnel. MoDNR OSCs reported from the scene that compartments of the tanker were compromised and discharging approximately 4,000 gallons of red dye diesel to the creek (later updated by the Potential Responsible Party [PRP] to 2,500 gallons).
This incident occurred in the inland zone and fell under EPA jurisdiction. EPA Region 7 deployed OSCs on January 15 to serve as Incident Commander and Deputy Incident Commander to oversee the response and cleanup operations. The EPA phone duty officer notified the Ameren Coal Fired Power Plant of the incident because they had an industrial water intake on the Missouri River downstream.
Response operations by the PRP, while maintaining close coordination with EPA, state, and local responders, were successful in containing and collecting discharged fuel from the accident involving the tanker truck. Of the 0.7 miles of tributary between the crash site and the confluence with Labadie Creek, approximately 0.3 miles were impacted by oils. Booming and damming operations continued and did not allow any product to enter Labadie Creek during the entirety of the response. Fuel in the tanker was pumped out before the tanker was moved.
Primary factors for successful operations came from rebuilding the underflow dam multiple times as improvements were identified, continued use of booming systems, and close coordination between the PRP and OSCs.
At the time of the EPA's demobilization date on February 6, the PRP estimated that they have removed 34,246 gallons of oily water mixture and 3 cubic yards of solid waste over a span of 22 days. MoDNR remained engaged with the PRP while the PRP performed recovery operations and maintenance. The final engagement with local residents by EPA OSCs were positive with no concerns were raised by residents.
