DEC inspector checks on the oil spill
LAKE CARMEL – Investigators are attempting to pinpoint the cause of a large oil spill into Lake Carmel on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities were called to the lake for a report of a strong odor of oil along Lakeshore Drive. A sheen was also spotted on the water.
Lake Carmel firefighters responded to the scene along with the Putnam County Hazardous Materials Response Team and a New York State DEC Emergency Response Team. Containment booms and oil collecting pads were place in the lake to soak up the oil.
Investigators went door-to-door to residents to learn if anyone had a recent oil delivery as the spill was believed to have come from an underground tank.
Residents in the Lakeshore Drive-Kitchawan Road area are being asked to examine their oil tanks to determine if they are leaking. If one is leaking, the homeowner is asked to call the DEC spill hotline at 800-457-7362 and refer to spill number 1601545.
The amount of the oil spilled was not immediately determined.
