05-15-2008, 09:47 PM
[crazy]PORT SALERNO — Members of the Martin County Fire Rescue Hazmat team responded to a fuel clean-up Tuesday morning after a boater pumped gasoline into his fishing rod holder instead of his gas tank.
The boater pumped about 100 gallons of gasoline at the Finest Kind Marina fuel dock before he noticed the problem, but only about 15 gallons polluted the water, marina employees said.
The rest of the gasoline seeped into the boat’s bilge tank, witnesses said.
The man’s fishing boat was towed from the fuel dock to Sandsprit Park so Hazmat officials could secure the fuel, said Jeff Alter, Fire Rescue bureau chief.
Marina employees said it’s not uncommon to see boaters pump fuel into fishing rod holders because the holder is often close to the fuel tank hole.
[signature]
The boater pumped about 100 gallons of gasoline at the Finest Kind Marina fuel dock before he noticed the problem, but only about 15 gallons polluted the water, marina employees said.
The rest of the gasoline seeped into the boat’s bilge tank, witnesses said.
The man’s fishing boat was towed from the fuel dock to Sandsprit Park so Hazmat officials could secure the fuel, said Jeff Alter, Fire Rescue bureau chief.
Marina employees said it’s not uncommon to see boaters pump fuel into fishing rod holders because the holder is often close to the fuel tank hole.
[signature]
