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Crews Cleaning St. Johns River After Diesel Fuel Spill Near Jacksonville's Southbank

boat near Met Park
Cyd Hoskinson
/
WJCT News

Cleanup is continuing in the St. Johns River after a fuel spill was reported Tuesday evening.

A double-decker river cruiser has spilled up to 150 gallons of diesel fuel near downtown Jacksonville.

Around dinner time on Tuesday, a concerned citizen called authorities about a boat spilling fuel near the Chart House Seafood Restaurant on Jacksonville’s Southbank.

The Lady St. Johns has a fuel tank that holds 150 gallons of fuel, but a Coast Guard spokesman says it’s unclear how much was in there at the time.

The Coast Guard and city environmental department are investigating whether the boat’s owners did anything illegal, but the evidence wasn’t pointing that way as of Wednesday afternoon, says Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Lehmann.

He says until cleanup is complete, people should avoid drinking water from or swimming in the river near the Southbank.

Jessica Palombo oversees local news at WJCT News 89.9 and Jacksonville Today. With a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University and bachelor's in journalism from the University of Florida, Jessica is a nearly lifelong resident of Jacksonville. You may have once seen her on a local community theater stage. These days, you can most likely catch her reading a book in a school pickup line.