A mistake by staff at the Zhabei Power Plant on Monday night led to the release of 45 tons of fuel into the Huangpu River, authorities said yesterday.

 

The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration said the pollution was contained yesterday morning.

 

According to the administration, the spill occurred at about 9 PM on Monday at a dock of the Zhabei Power Plant.

 

Maritime safety workers launch a cleanup operation yesterday after a mistake at Zhabei Power Plant let 45 tons of fuel spill into the Huangpu River. Authorities said the spill was under control.

 

The accident was blamed on operators who failed to cut off fuel to a tanker ship once its storage tanks were full.

 

Maritime authorities said they called in 14 cleanup ships to handle the emergency.

Three nearby tap water factories along the river - the Wusong, Zhabei, and Lingqiao tap-water mills - were told to supervise water sources after the accident and keep watch for possible contamination.

 

Cleanup vessels were still cruising the river yesterday, and authorities explained the vessels will now focus on floating waste at a nearby dock.

 

They said it would take some time to fully remove the oil and waste.

 

(Shanghai Daily April 11, 2007)