A creek running through Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood turned red after roughly 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from an aboveground storage tank at Atrium Health Mercy hospital, with an estimated 800 gallons making it into a nearby waterway. Cleanup crews have been working the site along North Laurel Avenue, deploying booms and vacuum equipment to pull the fuel out of the water.
The spill was first reported by WCNC, and subsequent reporting from WFAE detailed that approximately 2,000 gallons of what Atrium Health described as “red dye diesel fuel” leaked from the tank, with about 800 gallons entering a tributary of Briar Creek near North Laurel Avenue. The exact timing of the spill has been reported differently across outlets: one account places the spill on Saturday, Nov. 7, while a county spokesperson told WFAE that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services responded to a spill reported Sunday, Nov. 8.
Atrium Health Mercy sits on Vail Avenue in the Elizabeth neighborhood, and the hospital said a professional cleanup team was on site since the leak was identified, with an investigation into the cause now underway, per the same WFAE report. The health system also said there was no impact to patient care or safety and that no injuries were reported.
Creek Turns Red Near North Laurel Avenue
A photograph sent to WBTV showed a nearby stream running red, underscoring the visible scope of the contamination even as officials continue assessing how much fuel actually reached open water. The station’s report placed the incident at the hospital on Vail Avenue in Elizabeth, consistent with other local coverage…