FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE
Date and Time: February 12, 2019 at 11:35 a.m.
Re: Oil well fire in the Town of Allegany

Summary of Incident:
This morning, at approximately 05:35 a.m. Allegany Fire Department (Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York) was dispatched to an oil well fire with an approximate location of Flatstone Rd at Chipmonk Rd in the Town of Allegany. The oil well is reportedly owned by Vertical Energy. By 10:30 a.m., the fire was extinguished and firefighting resources had left the scene. An estimated 150 gallons of oil was spilled during the incident but was quickly contained.
Responding Agencies:
Allegany, Knapp Creek, Hinsdale, Limestone, Town of Olean, and Westons Mills fire departments in New York, and Otto Township Fire Department in Pennsylvania were dispatched for response and standby for the incident. In addition to firefighting resources, Incident Response & Mitigation (IRM) Services, Cattaraugus County Office of Emergency Services, Cattaraugus County Health Department, New York State Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) and Environmental Conservation Police, and New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control were among responding agencies. The Office of the Governor, New York State Office of Emergency Management, and Cattaraugus County Administration have all been updated on the event.
Ongoing Concerns and Operations:
IRM Services was able to contain the spilled oil quickly and on-scene units report no threat to the Allegheny River or major water supplies at this time. Emergency Services, Health Department, and DEC personnel remain on scene at this time for further investigation.
Updates/ Questions:
Additional information will be released as it becomes available via social media (Facebook @CattCoPrepared and @CattCoOES) and online at www.cattco.org. Questions may be directed to Cattaraugus County Office of Emergency Services at emergency.services@cattco.org or (716) 938-2213, although very limited information is available.