Fuel spills from Reagan National Airport into Potomac River

WASHINGTON - Airport officials say as much as 7,500 to 9,000 gallons of jet fuel from Reagan National Airport has spilled into the Potomac River.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority says the source of the spill was secured Friday morning and the fuel has been contained from the source of spill extending to Four Mile run and the southern boundary of the airport.

An environmental cleanup team and the fuel contractor for the airlines at the airport will conduct the cleanup efforts.

The Coast Guard says after consulting with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is believed that the environmental impact of the spill is limited. The fuel spill has also not impacted airport operations.

The airports authority says personnel responded to reports of a fuel odor Thursday at around 9:15 p.m. and over an hour later, they found a spill on the southern area of the airport that was believed to have occurred since the morning.

Personnel believed they contained and cleaned this spill, but officials are unsure how this second fuel spill occurred.