On Monday evening, residents in Bascharage reported a noticeable smell of hydrocarbons, prompting the despatch of officers from the Water Management Authority and units from the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS).
Upon arrival, they identified a leak in a private individual’s tank, resulting in a substantial release of hydrocarbons. According to a CGDIS press release, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 litres of oil flowed into a nearby field before reaching a private pond.
Emergency response teams swiftly took action by deploying a floating dam and installing pumps to mitigate the pollution’s spread. However, the task was complicated by heavy rainfall, and despite efforts, the pollution could not be entirely contained. Some of the oil reached a small tributary of the Chiers river.
With the affected stream connecting to the Chiers, itself a tributary of the Meuse, the International Commission for the Protection of the Meuse (CIM) activated its international warning and alert plan.
Officers remained at the site to minimise the impact and assess environmental damage caused by the spill.
