MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. The fuel spill as a result of the accident on the territory of the Combined Heat and Power Plant No. 3 (CHPP-3) in Norilsk is likely to reach Lake Pyasino located about 20 km away from the city, press service of WWF Russia told TASS on Monday.
The loss of containment of the diesel fuel tank occurred on the territory of CHPP-3 in Norilsk on May 29. A motor vehicle entered the fuel spill, causing the fire outbreak. About 20,000 tonnes of fuel were spilled in total, with about 100 tonnes already gathered, as reported by the plant owner, the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company. The inter-municipal level emergency was introduced.
"There are about 12 kilometers from the leaking tank to the Ambarnaya River and fuel already penetrated the river by morning of May 31. There are about 20 kilometers from that point to Pyasino, so we assume that the pollution has already reached the lake today, on June 1," the press service said, citing Alexei Knizhnikov, the Business Environmental Responsibility Team Leader of WWF Russia.
The fuel oil spill in Norilsk requires involvement of federal authorities, Knizhnikov said. "Diesel fuel is more toxic than crude oil and the situation has such a scale at present that the efficient cleanup cannot be expected without a strong group of resources and equipment of the federal level," he added.