Diesel spillage threat to river
From the Echo, first published Tuesday 14th Oct 2003.
A FALLEN road sign's framework triggered a pollution scare when it punctured a lorry's fuel tank.
Hundreds of litres of diesel fuel poured out of the tank on to the road and down a nearby drain, threatening the nearby River Stour.
Firefighters from Blandford were called to the incident at nearby Littleton on the A350 just before 4am today.
They tackled the spillage using specialist materials and a large quantity of soil to absorb the fuel.
Wessex Water, the Environment Agency and Dorset County Council staff also attended and the agency's duty officer Michael Reed said about 400 litres of fuel had escaped from the articulated lorry's tank.
He added that most of the fuel had gone on the road although some had escaped down a drain.
Checks are now being made to try and discover the extent of the pollution and whether the fuel which leaked down the drain is heading for the River Stour or down a soakaway system where it can be collected.
Mr Reed said the threat of pollution was not thought to be high.
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