WATERTOWN, MASS. (WHDH) - Eversource officials believe an oil leak in Watertown will leave a section of Main Street shut down for several days.
An underground pipe cracked around 8:30 p.m. Monday, causing mineral oil to come up through the soil and leak out onto the street, according to police.
Watertown Superintendent of Public Works Gerald Mee explained that the oil is used to cool the underground Eversource line that runs inside a pipe.
“There was a rupture in that pipe; [the oil] made its way to the surface and flowed across the surface, which gave us the mess we have right now,” he said.
Department of Public Works crews used barriers and sand to try and contain the non-toxic oil and then scrubbed the surface with an industrial dish soap to try to cut through the grease.
Eversource crews cut through the pavement as they tried to stop the leak. They believe repairs could take up to three days.
Watertown Police Chief Michael lawn described the scene as “one big mess.”
He is urging people to avoid the area of Main Street between Watertown Square and Waverly Avenue.
Cutting through the grease – crews using giant jugs of dish soap-like solution to clean up Main St after oil leak. pic.twitter.com/Gkv6JI57KK
— Kim Lucey (@KimLucey) July 31, 2018
Here’s a look at the giant hole on #Watertown’s Main St. to repair an oil pipe. Slick runs from the Sq. to Waverly. pic.twitter.com/zWysUpIbei
— Kim Lucey (@KimLucey) July 31, 2018
HUGE mess on Main St. @WatertownPD says @EversourceMA pipe cracked, oil used for cooling wires seeped up onto road. pic.twitter.com/ivMuNsUBHY
— Kim Lucey (@KimLucey) July 31, 2018
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