A 22,000-gallon railroad tanker leased by Marathon Ashland Petroleum started leaking coal tar light oil at about 8 a.m., said MAP spokeswoman Linda Casey from her office in Findlay, Ohio. The tanker was on a siding at the TechSol Chemical Co., and the leak occurred as workers were transferring the oil to trucks.
The oil is predominantly a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene and is used in the production of petrochemicals at MAP's Catlettsburg, Ky., refinery, she said. MAP sent response teams to assist the Huntington Fire Department with the cleanup.
An undetermined amount of the oil leaked into a nearby creek and a shelter in place was issued for a two-mile radius, Casey said.
Because some of the oil flowed into the city's sewer system, Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller asked school officials to send the 500 students at Kellogg Elementary School home as a precaution. TechSol and several homes were also evacuated.
``He said he would feel better if we moved the kids out of the building,'' said Wayne County schools superintendent Gary Adkins.
Several streets, including a section of U.S. 60, were temporarily closed. No injuries were reported.
