A coal ash spill occurred this morning on the Vermilion River near the Liberty Avenue bridge trestle. According to Captain Graham of the Vermilion Police Department, a train dumped material into the river, spreading quickly downstream toward the lake. He initially described it as coal dust based on its appearance at the scene, but later confirmed it was coal ash after consulting with other officials. Emergency crews responded, contacting the EPA and other agencies.
Tim at the Erie County Emergency Management Agency said, “We have reached out to the railroad and EPA, spoken with the US EPA and the state EPA. It’s not a large concern for them. It’s a concern, I’m not saying we are dismissing it, but it’s not something they are coming for. They are not calling for testing, they are not calling for air monitoring, they are not calling for action beyond what’s done and that’s a good sign.”
Fire Chief Bill Brown and the City described the ash as non-toxic. Brown made that statement in person, while the City also issued a text alert and social media posts reinforcing that message. Tim added, “They have given us no further directions. They said it’s fine if it’s corralled into one point and you can kind of trap it there, it can make cleanup better… they have not mandated anything so far.”
This is an ongoing story. We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available from local officials, environmental agencies, and emergency responders.
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