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VIDEO – Authorities investigating illegal oil spill on Highway 61 South
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Vicksburg Daily News was on location Monday as representatives of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and other authorities were assessing and investigating an oil spill on Highway 61 South near the old Lucky Fisherman location.
Authorities believe that someone illegally dumped a significant amount of oil in a drain at the carwash on the corner of Highway 61 and Grange Hall Road. The carwash has dealt with similar instances in the past, and therefore has installed surveillance cameras at the location that will aid investigators in identifying the perpetrator.
In addition to charges related to the illegal dumping, the person responsible will also be charged with fleeing the scene.
Brad Ratcliff with MDEQ says that the clean-up effort should be a fairly simple one, and that the state will be hiring contractors to remove contaminants from the water and surround environment using a combination of chemicals and specially designed pads for absorbing petroleum.
“As of now we don’t have a responsible party to make them clean this up,” Ratcliff said. “So the state, DEQ Emergency Response, will hire one of our contractors. They’ll clean it up all the way back to the source.”
VDN’s David Day was on the scene:
