Crews at Mitchell Airport trying to stop jet fuel from spilling into creek

Crews at General Mitchell Airport are trying to stop jet fuel from spilling into a local creek. 

Environmental cleanup crews have installed a number of barriers to prevent the jet fuel from getting any further and contaminating the waterway.

Airport officials tell CBS 58 that the fuel is actually from a valve that failed in an underground fuel pit. The fuel hydrant has been shut off and the leak has stopped.

Parts of the creek end up in the KK River so crews are trying to stop the liquid from getting any further. At this time, they don't believe there is any risk to anyone that lives nearby or water consumption. They say someone smelled the fuel order and hazmat crews were called in. 

The spill has not affected airport operations. 

The incident did not have any impact on flights, vehicle traffic, or regular Airport operations.

The airport released the following statement:

Late yesterday, Airport officials were notified of an odor in Airport sewer lines.  An unknown substance was also located in a waterway coming from Airport property.

Thanks to hard work from the Airport Fire Department, Airport Operations, Airport Environmental, Wisconsin DNR, EPA and the Coast Guard, the source has been identified as jet fuel leaking from a valve that failed at an underground fuel pit near Gate E69. This gate is not currently used by any airline.

The fuel hydrant in that location has been shut off, and the leak has been stopped. At this time, the Airport does not believe the leak involved a significant amount of fuel. Cleanup work is underway to contain and remove any remaining fuel in the water systems below the Airport.