Massive hospital oil leak worse than first thought

The massive oil leak at Beaufort Memorial Hospital last week could be worse than first thought.

A nearby homeowner saw oil in the Beaufort River behind the hospital and alerted hospital officials Sunday morning, hospital spokeswoman Courtney McDermott said. The hospital contacted the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Coast Guard and the EPA.

A DHEC-certified contractor was hired to assess and contain the area. The oil is thought to have been from the May 23 incident, when hundreds of gallons of heating fuel oil leaked into the hospital’s boiler room.

A drainpipe is believed to have captured some of the leaked oil and deposited it into the water, McDermott said. She didn’t know how much oil had gotten in the water Sunday.

Cleanup efforts are expected to be finished Monday, and DHEC will inspect the site to ensure state and federal rules were followed, McDermott said.

About 290 gallons of heating fuel oil leaked into the mechanical room at the hospital’s lowest level on May 23. The room contains boilers used to heat the building and create hot water for the hospital, but the oil wasn’t found to be flammable when firefighters arrived.

A hazmat crew was brought in to clean the area, and elective surgery was suspended due to the smell.

This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Massive hospital oil leak worse than first thought."