DENVER, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Officials are unsure about the source of an oily muck seeping into a Colorado creek as crews work to prevent the substance from reaching the South Platte River.
"The biggest thing right now is to stop the flow of the material into the South Platte," Curtis Kimbel, an Environmental Protection Agency emergency response manager told The Denver Post Tuesday. "Once we find out what the material is, then that will lead us to what is the source."
Officials were alerted Monday to an oily sheen on the surface of Sand Creek, which is located near a Suncor Energy refinery. Suncor crews worked through the night, setting up booms to to pool the material.
"It could be solvent. It could be from the cooling station. It could be anything. We will find out the source in time," said John Gallagher, Suncor vice president for refining. "We are treating it as if it is ours. We don't know if it is ours."
Under the Oil Pollution Act, companies that assist in the cleanup of oil spills can be reimbursed for work if a third party is determined to be responsible, the newspaper said.
One clean-up worker told the Post it appeared the oily material had been contained.
"We got it," he said.