SHADY, N.Y. — A Bottini Fuel truck carrying over 2,000 gallons of home heating oil crashed on Thursday, spilling a large portion of its load into Sawkill Creek after failing to navigate a sharp turn on MacDaniel Road. The truck overturned, crashing through a guard rail and releasing oil into the nearby waterway, officials said.
The spill occurred at 30 MacDaniel Road, near the creek, prompting immediate action from emergency responders. Ulster County Public Health Director Eve Walter confirmed the spill, adding that the closest town well was temporarily shut down as a precaution.
“The spill occurred at the Sawkill Creek, and emergency crews acted quickly to contain the situation,” said Ulster County Director of Emergency Services Everett Erichsen. “The truck was carrying approximately 2,300 gallons of heating oil.”
Woodstock Fire Department Assistant Chief Kevin Peters said the emergency call came in at 8:45 a.m., and by noon, the oil flow was stopped. “It was almost a full load,” he said. The spill occurred on a steep embankment, about 100 feet from the creek, with oil leaking into the water.
Responders deployed over 250 feet of absorbent boom to contain the estimated spill of up to 500 gallons. Erichsen noted that state and local health officials are working together to assess any environmental or public health concerns.
Representatives from Bottini Fuel were not immediately available for comment. The cause of the crash and the condition of the driver, who was taken to Health Alliance Hospital in Kingston, are still under investigation.
The spill occurred near the Bearsville Flats, an area where the creek feeds into an aquifer used by Woodstock’s water system. As a result, officials shut down a nearby well pump to protect the water supply. The Ulster County Department of Health, along with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is monitoring the situation and will test the water system for contamination.
Locals near the spill site expressed frustration, citing a history of speeding on that stretch of road. “It’s supposed to be 10 miles per hour around that turn,” said resident Jessie Kotler. “But nobody goes that slow. I’ve seen cars slide in the same spot.”
Residents were also concerned because the spill site is only 800 feet from the 10 Church Road area, which has experienced contamination from a previous dumping incident. “This community has already been hit hard,” said resident Julie Szabo. “We’ve been on bottled water for years due to the contamination.”
In response to the spill, multiple agencies were involved, including the Woodstock Fire District, the Kingston Fire Department HAZMAT Team, Ulster County Emergency Services, the DEC Spill Response Unit, Woodstock Police, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the DEC Police.
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