A barge spilled up to 3,500 gallons of crude corn oil into the Mississippi River at a Red Wing facility, and a multi-agency response was deployed to contain the material.
City officials say the Red Wing Fire Department responded to the ADM riverfront facility just after noon on Monday after receiving a report of a product spill.
The crude corn oil appeared on the water as a yellow-orange substance. Current estimates indicate that 3,000 to 3,500 gallons may have entered the river.
ADM staff had already placed a containment boom around the barge to prevent material from drifting downstream before fire crews arrived. The local emergency response group responded to help strengthen containment and begin cleanup. Fire crews assisted with placing additional booms downstream to capture material and supported the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office.
The Minnesota State Duty Officer, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Goodhue County Emergency Management were also notified. Clean Harbors has been engaged to manage product removal and cleanup.
The Red Wing Fire Department said there is no immediate risk to the public. The scene has been turned over to ADM and Clean Harbors for continued mitigation.
