By David Rosen

A cargo train derailed on Harbor Island and spilled 600 gallons of fuel near the West Seattle Bridge on June 20.

Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations, released this statement to the West Seattle Herald.

"The Washington Department of Ecology, Union Pacific Railroad, the U.S. Coast Guard, Seattle Public Utilities and a cleanup contractor are responding to a diesel fuel spill from a Union Pacific locomotive on Harbor Island. The spill was reported to Ecology at 7:40 p.m. Monday.

Union Pacific Railroad has hired NRC Environmental Services to conduct the cleanup effort. The contractor estimated that 600 gallons of fuel spilled to the gravel railroad bed when the engine and two railcars went off the track. The release has been stopped, and no impacts to water have been observed.

The locomotive held up to 2,500 gallons of fuel. It was estimated to be carrying 1,500 gallons. The contractor used a vacuum truck to remove the remaining 900 gallons of fuel from the engine.

An investigation is under way on the cause of the derailment. More information about the spill will be provided as it becomes available."

They plan to have heavy machinery come out in the morning to have the train re-railed by 7:00 am. There is no time estimate on how long the process will actually take.