Responders were called to the scene on the Damariscotta River in Walpole where a barge sank sometime during the overnight hours adjacent to the dock belonging to Mook Sea Farm.
Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman said the barge owner discovered the sunken vessel in the morning and alerted the Round Pond harbor master, who in turn alerted Leeman. Approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the Damariscotta River.
Lincoln County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team mobilized immediately, placing containment booms in the water to contain the spill.
Leeman said the diesel fuel should mostly evaporate, but his biggest concern was the amount of engine oil that escaped into the river. Extreme cold, wind and the tide hampered response efforts.
Leemans credited responders for turning out in force to the call. “This is community service at its best,” he said.
Lincoln County’s Haz-Mat team is made of firefighters from various fire departments in Lincoln County. The team was supported at the site by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Coast Guard and Maine Marine Patrol.
Mook Sea Farms is one of two oyster hatcheries in Maine. Their barge is owned by Round Pond Marine and was being used to help install new pilings on the pier. Leeman said the exact cause of the sinking remains unknown as of this posting.
