UPDATE: Citgo Gas Leak May Pose Environmental Threat, Fire Officials Say
Fuel has been seeping up from the ground at the Homewood gas station and into a nearby storm drain for an unknown amount of time, firefighters say.
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UPDATE on Aug. 13 at 10:20 p.m.
The gasoline leak was repaired and environmental hazard response organization SET Environmental Inc. is working on cleanup, according to Homewood Fire Lieutenant Bill Wright.
SET has been working along with Homewood Public Works to isolate the sewer contaminants, Wright said. Once they have all the gas contained, it will be extracted from the sewer, but the process is likely to go well into the night, according to Wright.
On the surface, Homewood firefighters were able to neutralize the flammability of the spilled fuel by treating it with special chemicals. A complete cleanup is expected by morning, Wright said. The area is now generally regarded as safe, but firefighters are still asking residents to stay behind police tape.
By law, Citgo is responsible for all emergency response fees incurred by the village and SET Environmental Inc. There is no word on when the gas station plans to reopen at this time.
Original Report
The Homewood Fire Department is advising residents stay clear of the Citgo at 183rd Street and Morris Ave due to a gasoline leak discovered sometime just before 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The cause of the leak is currently unknown, but firefighters are looking into a potential cracked fuel tank, according to Homewood Fire Lieutenant Bill Wright.
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While none have been reported injured, the gas, which has been seeping up from the ground for an unknown amount of time, has been flowing down 183rd Street and into the storm drain. Wright says it is still uncertain how much of an environmental hazard this presents, however teams are working to determine the severity of the spill. There is no estimate of when the leak will be contained.
A Tinley Park fire engine and Posen ambulance are currently stationed at the Homewood Fire Department to cover for emergency responders.
We will update this story should more information become available.
In This article
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Village of Homewood Fire Department
17950 Dixie Hwy, Homewood, IL -
Tinley Park Fire Department
17355 68th Ct, Tinley Park, IL
FlossmoorMom
8:27 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Well that's just great...
Sadb
8:30 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Why didnt the station owner notice a leak??
Genvieve LaChappele
8:52 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
this gas station has been in poor repair for years. The pumps dont work well and the place is a dump. The credit card readers are always broken or receipts dont print. I am not surprised at all.
Hernendo RevolveR
9:22 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Citgo? Are you serious? Shut the place down as the profits go to Venezuela and their communist regime.
Homewood Coach
9:31 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
That Citgo is an eyesore. Love the Mobil Station next door.
MyFlossmoorHome
8:27 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Agreed!
CriticalThinking
10:06 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Just how cautious does one need to be of this place in the coming days? I walk by it daily and would like to know if I need to change my route. I walked by about 630 pm tonight and noticed the odor but really thought it was just someone had spilled a bit and my freaky sense of smell was picking it up. I hope the firemen get it all under control and no one is hurt.
Scott Jones
10:17 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
WHAT did Dick Hofeld know & WHEN did he know it? Having grown up in Crestwood, I expect my city/village leaders to lie to me and WELCOME STATE & FEDERAL investigations during an election year. I think I will ask my law school contacts.
Flossmoor Family
12:23 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Scott, you should really research the regs before engaging your keyboard. The leadership of Homewood absolutely has no say or control in regulating a gas station's underground storage tanks and delivery systems (UST), quite the opposite. In Illinois UST regulation is solely regulated under the auspices of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the environmental issues are under IEPA via sections 29 (EPA) & 40 (OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations. You appear to be angry & confused by attempting to turn this accidental Illinois ESDA release into a political statement by comparing it to the Crestwood fiasco where the water system testing and distribution is actually overseen by the village public works department working under the mayor who then must report lab results and gallons pumped thru the system to IEPA.
Susan Dudik
10:24 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Geez, hopefully this means that rickety old joint can be shut down for good! Mobil should buy the property and have a carwash, with a pet-washing station like the new Gas n Go on 191st and 88th ave in Tinley!
Resident
11:35 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
I'm pretty certain that station is privately owned, and only pays for the gasoline and rights to use the Citgo name. So its not likely Homewood will recoup those fees. And very likely the place will be closed.
Brian James
12:18 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
WE not COOL
SouthSide
10:21 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
LOL! Good one!
Juan Macillery
9:45 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Typical response from H-F residents. Who cares what you think the property looks like. Whoever owns the Citgo is a rightful business owner. It's an unfortunate accident that happened. Hey, I have an idea...lets have the Citgo as a cash mob location. Go there all day long and buy as many 40's and rolling papers you can! What's good for the goose should also be good for the gander!
Brian James
12:49 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I may be wrong but I think they only sell papers to minors.
Denise G
10:01 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I have been to the Citgo many times and I feel that it always smells clean and there is always a friendly person ready to attend me. I have seen plenty of customers walking in and out happily and it has its regular customers like me. Accidents happen, so why is everything the gas stations fault all of a sudden really? I really hope that the Citgo Gas Station reopens soon, because I would hate to take my business to the neighboring gas stations that have been rude to me in the past.
SouthSide
10:24 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I haven't gone to this gas station in years because the place is a mess, it attracts seedy customers, the credit card machines never worked, and the pumps were always slow. If it gets shut down, no love lost.
Denise G
10:47 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I love Homewood Citgo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
carolyn bury
12:05 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
The leak is apparently not recent or apparently there have been leaks in the past. My former neighbor on Pierce in Homewood who worked there (about eight years ago) told me that she quit working because she became ill. She said that she had been exposed to vapor intrusion in the building (presumably benzene). She had indicated that there was a mitigation system for the volatile organic vapors in place (at the time).
SHUSSBAR
5:31 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Just from looking at it, this place look like not maintained (pavement, slow/old pumps. weak lighting, ..). Citgo/owner, fix it or close it.