The peaceful Tennessee River, nestled in northwest Alabama, was the unfortunate scene of an ecological disaster. Thousands of gallons of diesel flooded the river as a tugboat abruptly sank. Authorities rushed to impose an immediate evacuation, particularly affecting swimmers, as the fuel began washing up on adjacent shores.
The sinking tugboat was near the O’Neil Bridge. Upon its descent, an alarming approximate of between 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of diesel was discharged into the water, this was reported by the Florence Alabama Police Department.
As a result of the fuel leak, beachfronts began to exhibit the arrival of the diesel, most notably the shores of McFarland Park. This sparked authorities to demand those swimming therein to promptly vacate the waters.
McFarland Park, a popular recreational hub in Florence - known for its beach area, fishing piers, playgrounds, and campsites, had to suddenly address swimmers with an urgent advisory. Until further notification, people were asked to abstain from entering the water and keep off the beaches.
An image released by Florence police captured the oily shimmer on the river's surface near the bridge. The sight was a grim illustration of the unfolding event.
What led to the tugboat's sinking remains unclear. It was confirmed though that it was luckily uninoccupied at the time of the incident, as per George Grabryan, Agency Director, Florence and Lauderdale County Emergency Management.
With dusk descending, efforts to salvage the tugboat and clean up operations were halted and slated for continuation at dawn, according to Grabryan. Measures were taken to contain the spill with booms surrounding the sunken tugboat and channel area out of the Port of Florence.
The morning promised a continuation of the pumping and extraction operations, with the assistance of a crane to remove water and fluid from the tugboat to aid its resurfacing.
CNN reached out to the police and Environmental Protection Agency for further insights into the incident, with no update or comment received as of yet.
With 73 miles separating its peaceful setting from Huntsville, Alabama, Florence now harbors a grave admixture of concern and uncertainty.
