Authorities work to contain oil spill behind motorcycle shop

Friday, March 2, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

Authorities in Catawba County don't know what caused a motor oil spill at a business on Robinson Road, but they were working Thursday to make sure the spill didn't contaminate nearby property.

David Pruitt, Catawba County fire marshal, said authorities received a call last week about an oil spill on land behind Enigma Motorcycles, about two miles south of Hickory. The oil, Pruitt said, got into a drain pipe and spread throughout the property. Pruitt said the company's owner told authorities that there had been vandalism recently on the property.

Pruitt worked with the county's Division of Emergency Management and the Sheriff's Office Thursday to make sure the leak had not contaminated land at nearby businesses and homes.

"We're quickly coming to the assumption that it stayed on (Enigma Motorcycle's) property," he said.

Workers planned to flush out the pipe and collect the oil, Pruitt said.


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