Officials say vandalism caused North Carolina oil spill

Published 11:03 am Wednesday, March 21, 2018

ROBERSONVILLE (AP) – Officials in North Carolina say vandalism is to blame for an oil spill at a closed meat packing plant which has impacted a creek and a swamp.

Local media cite a report from the state Division of Environmental Quality which says a valve on the 5,000-gallon storage tank at the former Robersonville Meat Packing Co. in Robersonville. The division said the spill was discovered on Sunday and involves #6 fuel oil used in furnaces.

A Martin County official says 1,500 gallons have contaminated the site, and a division report says a creek and a swamp are impacted. Town manager Libby Jenkins says crews have kept the spill from getting into the sewage plant.

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Jenkins says the facility used to be owned by Perdue, but ceased operations in 2003.