Video shows driver ignoring spill that sent 4,000 gallons of fuel into Dickinson storm drains

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Arthur Wood has lived along the Dickinson Bayou for more than 35 years. He treasures the wildlife in his backyard, where herons, deer, turtles, and other animals often intermingle just in the middle of a bustling community.

However, a weekend fuel spill at a nearby gas station is causing major concerns.

"I'm just disgusted with what's going on in the bayou. That's my big concern," Wood said.

A scheduled refueling stop went array on Sunday night long after the Valero had closed at FM 517 East in Dickinson.

A surveillance video shared with ABC13 shows a fuel truck spilling gasoline all over the Valero gas station. Dickinson authorities say neither the driver nor the fueling company called anyone to report this incident.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Cleanup underway after fuel spills into storm drains in Dickinson, officials say

Therefore, the fuel was not contained until residents woke up Monday morning and started calling the fire department, reporting the smell.

"We don't know how much fuel got into the waterway," Dickinson Office of Emergency Management Director Derek Hunt said. "We're estimating up to 4,000 gallons of the spilled. In reviewing some of the footage, we can see the fuel took the path of least resistance into the storm drains."

Hunt says the city contacted TXDOT, which has the right of way over the storm drains, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as the federal Environmental Protection Agency to try to get a handle on cleanup efforts and damage assessment.

Hunt also contacted the refueling company, who he describes as being "uncooperative" and stating it was not their fault.

As this occurred, Wood says the smell was so strong that he thought the leak was his problem.

"I woke up Monday morning and walked into my garage to do Monday things. Took the laundry, and the smell of the gas almost knocked me down," he said. "I panicked, (thinking), 'Oh no, I have a leaking can in my garage.'"

Once residential complaints started rolling in, Dickinson officials found the spill, and shut down power to the gas station. TXDOT also brought in contract cleaning crews, who worked through Tuesday to suck up as much of the muck as possible.

"Luckily, what's at the end of the storm drain, there is something called the duck bill that prevents when the water increases, it prevents water from filling back into storm drains," Hunt explained. "That held a lot (of fuel) back."

Crews also flushed 21,000 gallons of fresh water through the pipes as well as other cleaning agents. But that still frustrates Wood, who worries the wildlife was needlessly impacted.

"I'm sorry. He messed up, and he tried to run away from it. Accidents do happen. Shut it off, " Wood said.

ABC13 contacted the fueling company, but nobody returned our calls. As the investigation continues, it's unclear what responsibilities the company will eventually incur.

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