Local
Tank overflow sends thousands of gallons of molasses into Baltimore Harbor
An estimated 5,000 gallons of molasses entered the harbor after an overflow at Westway Feed Products in South Baltimore. State inspectors reported containment and cleanup efforts underway and said they saw no dead fish or other aquatic impacts at the time.
About 5,000 gallons of molasses spilled into Baltimore Harbor over the weekend after a tank overflowed at the Westway Feed Products facility in South Baltimore, according to a Maryland Department of the Environment inspection report.
Inspectors attributed the overflow to a Maillard reaction. The report did not provide further details about how the reaction led to the spill.
Crews placed sand berms near the harbor to slow the molasses, deployed a boom in the water to limit its spread and used vacuum trucks to collect the material for removal. A boat also went into the harbor to assess the spill.
The inspection found no dead fish or other adverse effects on aquatic life at the time. The report did not say how much molasses had been recovered or whether additional cleanup or monitoring was planned.