Norilsk fuel spill contained - Emergency Situations Ministry
MOSCOW. June 5 (Interfax) - The fuel spill in Norilsk has been contained, and over 200 tonnes of fuel and lubricants have been collected by now, a spokesman for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry told Interfax.
"As of this moment, the diesel fuel spill has been contained, and over 200 tonnes of fuel and lubricants have been collected," the spokesman said.
The rescuers have special equipment and tools, including boats and power-driven pumps, the spokesman said. "There are plans to expand the rescue team to 500 specialists. The rescuers will be helping the region until the emergency is fully cleaned up," he said.
A rescue team of Gazprom Neft will arrive at the location shortly, the spokesman said.
The Emergency Situations Ministry's team has already deployed a temporary post there.
On May 29, a fuel tank at Power Plant No. 3 of the Norilsk-Taymyr Energy Company (NTEC), which is part of Norilsk Nickel and provides electricity for the Norilsk industrial district, lost pressure leaking oil products and causing a fire. The tank contained more than 21,000 tonnes of diesel fuel, which has leaked into the Daldykan and Ambarnaya Rivers flowing into Lake Pyasino.
Emergency Situations Minister Yevgeny Zinichev said at a conference with President Vladimir Putin that the ministry was informed about the accident with a two-day delay. A federal emergency was declared in the Krasnoyarsk Territory after the conference at Zinichev's proposal.
Zinichev paid a working visit to Norilsk on June 4. He chaired a conference and said that a way to clean up the spilled fuel had been found. Ten oil-gathering systems, Mil Mi-8 helicopters and an Antonov An-74 plane will help clean up the fuel spill in Norilsk.
Later on, Nornickel Vice-President Sergei Dyachenko said that the contaminated soil would be taken to temporary sites for remediation.