Residents react to oil spill at Northville Downs construction site
(CBS DETROIT) - Community members are voicing their concerns after oil and kerosene spilled into storm drains at the Northville Downs construction site.
"How this was overlooked is beyond me and my neighbor's comprehension," says Jeff Snyder, a Beal Town resident in Northville, near the Northville Downs construction site.
The city confirms the demolition of a building on the Downs development property resulted in the release of motor oil and kerosene leaking into storm drains following water runoff.
Snyder says action should have been taken more quickly by city officials and those in charge of the project. A look at the boom setup shows what he says is an accumulation of the oil, making him and other residents wonder how much went by before both the initial boom and an additional one were setup.
"Now we have a site that has spilled oil on it," Snyder said. "Now we have a storm system that has oil residue in it or oil piled up, and now we have a culvert that you can see back here, and now it's laden on the sides and pooled into the rocks along this edge and into the soil around this area. This contamination needs to be cleaned up."
The city of Northville did not specify the exact amount of spilled motor oil and kerosene. They say the two booms will remain in place for now and that a private clean-up contractor has responded to the site to perform clean-up and continue containment.
