An oil and fuel spill in Toronto’s Don River has been contained, officials say.

A underground storage tank was likely ruptured by a construction crew doing excavation work to build a parking lot near Laird Drive and Eglinton Avenue East, said Kate Jordan, a spokeswoman for Ontario’s Environment Ministry.

After Sunday’s heavy rain, the contents of the tank – described as a combination of mixed oils and fuel – began spilling into the storm sewer, which flows into the Don River, around 7 p.m.

It is unclear how much fuel was released into the river, but Ms. Jordan described it as a “significant amount”.

Crews used booms around local storm sewers and soil berms at the construction site to contain the spill. The oil and fuel did not travel past a boom at the Keating Channel, near where the Don River meets Lake Ontario, Ms. Jordan said.

“All the steps to stop the spill and contain it in the river have been taken. Now it’s a matter of cleaning up the actual site of the property where the spill material originated from, and that’s still underway,” she said.

Ms. Jordan said Toronto’s drinking water supply was not affected.

Clean-up crews on the construction site are vacuuming up oily water. The company hired by the site’s property manager will also empty the remaining contents of the tank and ensure there no additional tanks are buried in the area, Ms. Jordan said. Constable Wendy Drummond said the area used to be the site of an airport.

Ms. Jordan said charges are not being contemplated.

“Our main focus has been making sure that the clean-up activities are under way. It has not been referred for further investigation at this point.”

via Oil and fuel spilled in Don River – The Globe and Mail.