Published: 8/31/2018 11:25:19 AM
ORANGE — Emergency crews responded to a large oil spill that occurred on Route 202 near Exit 16 Friday morning, and that spill led to the closing of businesses in that area so that it could be cleaned up.
According to Orange Police Officer Clay Rushford, a call came into the department regarding the spill around 8:30 a.m. A cruiser was driving by Honey Farms when they received the initial call, making the response immediate, he said.
Officer Rushford said a pallet jack became loose in the box of the truck, rolled forward and hit a container with 225 gallons of mineral oil. The impact caused the valve to break off the container and the oil then leaked out.
The Orange Police Department stated in a Facebook post that “it is very slippery” and suggest residents use caution when driving through the area. According to police, the Honey Farms and Dunkin Donuts near the Route 2 exits in that area will be closed for the remainder of the day.
The Orange Highway Department, the Orange Fire Department, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection all responded to the scene, said Rushford. According to police a private company is in charge of the clean up process under the direction of the Massachusetts DEP.
“The clean up is unknown — it is going to be very lengthy,” said Rushford.