Volunteer firemen and the special chemical accidents unit of the emergency services were called out to Colmar-Berg on Thursday after it was discovered that oil had leaked into the river Attert.
It appears that hydraulic oil had entered the Attert following an incident with a cooling circuit in a nearby Goodyear factory. Following an initial assessment of the situation, an oil-barrier was immediately established and measures were taken in a bid to reduce pollution. On Friday morning, an additional oil-lock was built on the Alzette and downriver inspections performed on the Alzette and the Sauer. A heavy film of oil was reported on the river's surface, with checks to be made to verify whether more oil-locks need to be adapted. Luxembourg authorities issued a warning for the 'Mosel - Saar' International Warning and Alert Plan at 10:00 to inform downstream neighbours.
As an immediate measure, Secretary of State Camille Gira has decreed on the basis of environmental liability and the Water Act, that the operator must provide additional information on the damage that has occurred and must take all the necessary measures to control and reduce the pollutants concerned, effective immediately.
The causes of the incident are as of yet unknown. Luxembourg authorities have announced that an investigation has been launched in order to identify the reasons, the resulting environmental damage and additional remedial measures.
Photos by MDDI
