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Crews work to clean unknown chemical from Indiana creek

Officials said the mysterious blue chemical might be concentrated windshield washer fluid, but further testing is being conducted.

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — Officials say a creek in New Albany turned bright blue after an unknown chemical substance spilled into the waterway.

According to a Facebook post by the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency, the department was notified of the chemical spill in Fall Run Creek on Saturday around 12:30 p.m.

New Albany Storm Water personnel were able to find the source of the spill as the Floyd County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management assisted on the scene.

"Once the source was located an environmental cleanup company was contacted and the mitigation process was started," the agency wrote. They said crews would continue to work until the chemical spill was cleaned.

A spokesperson said the chemical is being tested for further analysis, but said they believe it to be "concentrated wind shield washer fluid that was in a tote and washed down the storm drain."

Yesterday at approximately 12:30pm Floyd county Emergency Management was notified of a unknown chemical spill in the...

Posted by Floyd County Emergency Management Agency on Saturday, August 13, 2022

Floyd County EMA later wrote in the post that the agency would not be releasing the name of the company where the spill originated from at this time.

"The owner of the company is being very cooperative and is responsible for the clean up and is taking the proper steps to make sure this does not happen in the future," they said. 

The spokesperson added that, like a similar chemical spill in 2018, the company will be fined by the state and need to pay for the "expensive" clean up.

Floyd County EMA reports no aquatic life was impacted by the spill. The department said once the final testing of the unknown substance is completed, they will release the findings to the public.

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