TANKER TRUCK SPILLS FUEL AT WILDWOOD WAWA SPARKING MULTI-AGENCY RESPONSE

WILDWOOD, N.J. — Emergency crews responded Sunday afternoon after a tanker truck spilled approximately 800 gallons of fuel at the Wawa convenience store on West Rio Grande Avenue. The Wildwood Fire Department reported being notified of the incident at around 4:30 p.m. The store was evacuated and closed while firefighters and police worked jointly to contain the spill and limit environmental hazards. Several nearby streets were also closed during the response. Absorbent materials including oil dry and sand were deployed to block storm drains, aiming to prevent further flow of fuel into the stormwater system. Despite these measures, an undetermined amount of fuel entered storm drains leading to the intercoastal waterways on Wildwood’s west side, and the U.S. Coast Guard was notified. Fire crews worked to eliminate ignition hazards during the emergency. The tanker truck involved is owned by S. Coraluzzo Petroleum Transporters of Hammonton. The company activated its emergency response plan and enlisted Lewis Environmental for cleanup, which was still ongoing Monday morning. Fire units remained on the scene for around six and a half hours, departing near 11 p.m. No injuries were reported, according to fire officials. The incident is under investigation by Wildwood police and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.