Bourbon County sees several hazardous spills

Saturday, April 7, 2012
Local firefighters and employees from Mid-America Environ-mental Solutions of Carthage, Mo., work to contain a fuel spill outside 5 Corners Mini-Mart in Fort Scott on Thursday. Bourbon County has seen four hazardous spills in the past six days.

Bourbon County has experienced four hazardous material spills within the past six days, including one at a local convenience store, Emergency Manager Keith Jeffers told county commissioners on Friday.

About 600 gallons of fuel were spilled at 5 Corners Mini Mart, 1122 S. Clark St., in Fort Scott, after a re-fueling company employee filled the wrong tank on Thursday.

Five Corners General Manager Scott Smith, who was not working at the time of the incident, said one of his employees noticed fuel spilling out from the top of the tank and informed the worker, who had returned to his truck, before calling the Fort Scott Fire Department.

"It's just an unfortunate thing that happened," Smith said. "The truck driver, for whatever reason, came in with the wrong product."

About 20 personnel and emergency officials worked about 10 hours cleaning up and containing the fuel.

Many agencies were contacted to help contain the spill including Bourbon County District 3 Rural Fire; Scott Township District 5 Rural Fire; and the Linn County District 1 Fire Department.

As is required with any spill this size, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was also contacted. Sunshine Petroleum, the convenience store's supply company, contacted Mid-America Environmental Solutions, of Carthage, Mo., for clean-up.

The company will be liable for any fees occurred as a result of calling area emergency officials.

FSPD Chief Paul Ballou said most of the spilled fuel stayed in the "catch and dike" area.

A white, suppressant foam was used to cover the fuel to prevent the spread of vapors or fumes.

"It's fairly rare," Ballou said. "And it was a pretty significant spill."

Jeffers, who was also called to the scene, said the smell of gasoline reached as far as the Fort Scott Police Department a little under a mile away.

"We're very lucky there was no fire," he said. "We've had good luck so far with our hazmat."

Jeffers said if the spill is under 100 gallons and doesn't seep into surrounding soil, emergency workers are not required to report the incident to state health and emergency officials. Of the four hazmat incidents this week, only one was considered significant.

Other items discussed at the meeting on Friday were:

* Jeffers told commissioners he is going to attend a 7 p.m. township meeting at the Garland Community Center on Monday night.

He suggested Commissioner Jingles Endicott attend as well since Garland is in his district.

"I presume I better go," Endicott said.

Jeffers said some district issues at the Garland Fire Department have created "mayhem," leading to the loss of employees and officers.

"The township board is concerned they may need to step in and help," he said. "They asked me to be there because they'd like to have at least someone help give advice on what type of training and management they should be doing. I can't enforce anything."

A fire district meeting is also being held for elections to replace the personnel on Tuesday night.

* The Kansas Department of Transportation's Darrin Petrowsky presented commissioners with KDOT's plan to work on some Bourbon County bridges in 2013. A couple of the spans are along Kansas Highway 39 and another is on K-31, about two miles east of Fulton.

* Bourbon County Public Works Supervisor Marty Pearson gave his weekly road report. Pearson told commissioners his department would be adding speed limit signs along Locust Road, east of Fort Scott, on Friday.

Pearson said some residents have expressed concern at the speed of cars traveling on the road. Pearson said four signs are being put up with a posted speed limit of 45 mph.

Pearson also said some work and construction would be done throughout the county this summer.

The next county commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m., Monday, April 9. A public hearing on "road vacation" is on the agenda.