Crews work to clean-up Wildwood Lake in wake of spill

(Harrisburg) — The environmental clean-up is making progress in the wake of last week’s tanker truck explosion that snarled traffic along I-81.

The incident also spilled nearly two-thousand gallons of diesel fuel into nearby waterways

Immediately after the accident, HAZ-MAT crews worked round the clock to clean up the fuel, which spilled into the Paxton Creek and impacted a 10-acre area of the Wildwood Lake Sanctuary in Susquehanna Township.

So far, 11 geese and ducks died, along with half a dozen fish.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has been monitoring the cleanup and spokeswoman Amanda Witman says it could have been much worse.

“We’ve been pleased with the progress of the cleanup. In particular, the spill was able to be contained and prevented from entering the Susquehanna River, which was very very important,” she says.

Crews will remain on the site for at least several more days to soak up residual fuel in the water.

Dauphin County, which operates Wildwood Park, says it will remain closed to the public until further notice.