A massive fuel leak in Lyttelton Port will take a long time to clear, says the NZ Fire Service.
Yesterday Police evacuated 19 households in Cressy Terrace, Park Terrace and Brittan Terrace after a cliff collapsed causing damage to a fuel storage tank at the port according to TV One.
Fire Service says the landslip dislodged the valve of the tank, spilling fuel into a surrounding catchment area and leaving the strong smell of diesel wafting through the portside suburb.
Residents were evacuated to a council service centre in London St. It is unlikely they will be able to return to their homes tonight.
The tanks are used and sometimes owned by customers including New Zealand’s largest fuel retailer, Z Energy.
Service assistant area commander Steve Kennedy, who was at the site of the leak, says the majority of the fuel has now been contained.
He says the Fire Service were setting up operations to transfer the leaked fuel into tanks.
“The operation is going to take some time because we’re looking in excess of probably a million litres of fuel that we need to transfer,” he told TV One’s Breakfast programme.
He says if people do smell fuel fumes in the area they should close their doors and windows.
Council engineers will be assessing the damage to the hillside and affected homes today.
Police say the evacuations were precautionary, and were in response to the possibility of further slips in the area.
The cliff collapse comes after Christchurch was battered with a heavy deluge of rain.
The smell of fuel in the area could last for up to 24 hours while it is dispersed by the wind.
Police advised non-essential visitors to avoid the area. Cordons are expected to remain in place overnight while the hillsides and fuel storage facilities are monitored.
