Absorbant pads and boom surround the Port Orchard Yacht club as pollution responders clean up the waterway after a fire caused the sinking of six recreational vessels, March 20, 2016.
Pollution responders have recovered approximately 350 gallons of diesel fuel from the marina and two of the six vessels.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Port Angeles
An aerial view of the Port Orchard Yacht Club, in Port Orchard, Wash., shows the marina outlined in containment boom after a fire caused the sinking of six recreational boats, March 20, 2016.
Federal, state and local agencies are on scene to clean up the site of all potential pollution.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Port Angeles
A rainbow sheen is seen from the air during an overflight, conducted by a Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles aircrew, over the Port Orchard Yacht Club, in Port Orchard, Wash., March 20, 2016.
A fire destroyed or damaged 10 boathouse structures and sunk six recreational boats in the marina, which created the sheen.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Port Angeles
SEATTLE — Coast Guard, Washington Department of Ecology Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Response Corporation Environmental Services personnel are cleaning up and mitigating potential impact of diesel fuel from six sunken recreational boats at the Port Orchard Yacht Club, in Port Orchard after a fire broke out early Sunday morning.
Response personnel and a contracted dive team have conducted an underwater survey, boomed off sensitive environmental areas and collected approximately 350 gallons of diesel fuel as of 5 p.m.
The dive team's survey concluded that six recreational boats, all between 30 and 40 feet in length, had sunk with a combined potential total of 2,000 gallons of diesel onboard. Response personnel have placed 3,000 feet of boom around the yacht club and around sensitive areas Ross Creek, Blackjack Creek and a salt mine flat. Additional boom has been staged in the area for possible placement around Ross Point on Monday.
There are about 20 response personnel on scene at any given time. Removal of fuel from vessels is scheduled to halt at 8 p.m., Sunday and is planned to commence again at 7 a.m., Monday. On water removal of debris will continue throughout the night and is expected to continue through the week.
Only two of the six sunken vessels are accessible and the tanks have been emptied on both the vessels. Monday's operations will consist mostly of removing debris to access the remaining vessels. A crane barge is scheduled to arrive Monday to assist in the removal of debris.
"The federal, state and local response has been extremely productive, and we are all committed to cleaning up the marina of all potential pollution as quickly as possible," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Valerie Van Tine, federal on-scene coordinator. "
Personnel from the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Incident Management Division opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to clean up the yacht club.The original news release can be found here.
Department of Ecology media contact until 8 a.m. Monday, March 21 is Sandy Howard at 360-791-3177 or Sandy.Howard@ecy.wa.gov. On Monday, news media may contact Larry Altose at Larry.Altose@ecy.wa.gov or 425-649-7009.
Photos from the Washington Department of Ecology can be seen here http://bit.ly/1TYUKdK
Department of Ecology incident website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/PortOrchardYachtClubFire/