Roosevelt Roads Spill; Ensenada Honda Bay, Puerto Rico

Ensenada Honda Bay, Puerto Rico | 1986-Dec-01

Initial Notification: On Thursday, November 27, the U.S. Navy Base at Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico discovered a spill of JP-5 in Ensenada Honda Bay (NOAA chart 25666). The source of the leak was traced back to a tank which held 907,000 gal. of JP-5. The tank (#85) was discovered leaking fuel out of an old flange. Workman had just completed installing a new tank bottom by installing it several feet above the old bottom. In between the two bottoms was filled with sand. The tank passed a standard vacuum test and then was filled with fuel on Wednesday. Best guess is that the leak began late Wednesday night or early Thursday. Fuel was found pouring out of the flange to the old tank bottom on Thursday morning. Apparently the new tank bottom leaked allowing fuel to flow down to the old bottom. A shut off valve to the old tank bottom was in an open position which allowed the fuel to pour out onto the ground. The tank is located approximately 1/4 mile from the bay. The fuel filled a depression in the ground and then overflowed into an area which contained a drainage pipe. The fuel flowed down this drainage pipe directly into the bay. USCG district 7.