SUMMIT HILL -- There's a big cleanup underway near Panther Valley High School in Carbon County after more than 5,000 gallons of heating oil was released from the tank at the Panther Valley Middle School.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the oil leaked from a 10,000 gallon storage tank in the middle school which is next door.
A building and grounds employee noticed the spilled fuel early in the morning.
"It is an underground tank. Right now we're emptying the tank, then we're going to be able to ascertain where exactly the leak is and if it's the tank itself or the lines," superintendent Dennis Kergick said.
The school complex in Carbon County is on public water and public sewage.
So far, DEP says there has been no effect to either.
DEP said that cleanup staff monitored the high school for odors and Volatile Organic Compounds. According to DEP, no odor or VOC's were found in the high school.
School officials also believe they were able to stop the flow of the oil before reaching nearby wetlands.
"We want to be sure that the proper procedures are followed for the cleanup and that is being done. I mean, the school has been on top of this from the minute it has been discovered," Carbon County EMA director Mark Nalesnik said.
DEP tells Newswatch 16 Datom Products, an environmental consulting and cleanup contractor, will also be constructing an underflow dam near the end of the storm water collection system and before a wetland area.
DEP says the automatic skimmer will be installed at the underflow dam and recovered product will be placed in a tote for later disposal.
It's an idea that worked back in 2007 when there was a 6,000-gallon fuel oil spill at the same school complex.
Back then, a construction crew punctured a pipe at the new middle school.
"Last time it happened, it happened the day before the first day of school. In this case we have some time before school opens," Nalesnik said.
Classes at Panther Valley School District don't start until late August.
School officials are hopeful by then all of the oil will be cleaned up.
Right now the district says along with the cleanup its main goal is to figure out how the leak happened.