Oil seeps into Maine's Fore River after truck accident

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- An oil tanker truck rollover on Maine's I-295 highway spilled heating oil onto the road and into the Fore River, authorities said.

The oil covered the road near Exit 4, and forced the closure of the off ramp. Emergency officials reduced northbound traffic to one lane after the accident late Monday morning.

The majority of the oil was contained before it reached the Fore River, which separates the cities of Portland and South Portland, and includes an estuary where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The river's surface Monday showed "evidence of light sheening. An unknown amount [of oil] entered into the river and an unknown amount has been recovered. What did enter was deemed unrecoverable," said Lt. David Bourbeau of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Local fire companies, emergency personnel and pollution responders of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection dealt with the accident and spill. The cause of the crash was not announced.