According to the Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District, nearly 8,000 gallons of fuel was spilled on Wednesday into a drainage ditch and nearby wetland area around the area of Route 64 and Route 47 in Lily Lake.
At approximately 3:22am Wednesday, fire crews responded to a Shell gas station, located at 44W322 Illinois Route 64 in Lily Lake, for the report of a gasoline odor.
When crews arrived, they found gasoline mixed with rainwater flowing across the property, into a drainage ditch and into a nearby wetland area.
Part of the gas station’s fueling center had been under construction, and a heavy flow of rainwater run-off appeared to flood some of the gasoline tanks, causing the spill, fire officials said.
The Kane County Office of Emergency Management, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency were notified.
The agencies worked to determine the impacted wetland areas and prioritize actions that needed to be taken to help contain the continued spread beyond the area, fire officials said. The West Chicago Fire Protection District and Kane County Department of Environmental and Water Resources worked with the Illinois EPA to identify the areas that needed emergency attention to prevent the spread into the Ferson Creek Headwaters.
“There is no life risk to those living in the immediate area, and a reassessment of the situation will be conducted on Thursday morning for the continuation of environmental and property conservation,” local officials said.
