A creek running through Charlotte's Elizabeth neighborhood turned red after roughly 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from an aboveground storage tank at Atrium Health Mercy hospital, with an estimated 800 gallons making it into a nearby waterway. Cleanup crews have been working the site along North Laurel Avenue, deploying booms and vacuum equipment to pull the fuel out of the water.
The spill was first reported by WCNC, and subsequent reporting from WFAE detailed that approximately 2,000 gallons of what Atrium Health described as “red dye diesel fuel” leaked from the tank, with about 800 gallons entering a tributary of Briar Creek near North Laurel Avenue. The exact timing of the spill has been reported differently across outlets: one account places the spill on Saturday, Nov. 7, while a county spokesperson told WFAE that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services responded to a spill reported Sunday, Nov. 8.
Atrium Health Mercy sits on Vail Avenue in the Elizabeth neighborhood, and the hospital said a professional cleanup team was on site since the leak was identified, with an investigation into the cause now underway, per the same WFAE report. The health system also said there was no impact to patient care or safety and that no injuries were reported.
Creek Turns Red Near North Laurel Avenue
A photograph sent to WBTV showed a nearby stream running red, underscoring the visible scope of the contamination even as officials continue assessing how much fuel actually reached open water. The station's report placed the incident at the hospital on Vail Avenue in Elizabeth, consistent with other local coverage.
According to WSOC-TV, crews have been using hydrocarbon booms and pads along with a vacuum truck to remove diesel from the water. The outlet also reported that Mecklenburg County said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking the lead on the response to the fuel spill into the local creek.
Residents Told to Avoid the Water
WSOC-TV reported that residents should avoid contact with the affected creek, and that pet owners should keep animals out of the waterway until the visible sheen and petroleum odors are gone and agencies confirm conditions have returned to normal. The volume estimates released so far have been described as preliminary and remain under investigation, according to the station.
Spills of this kind fall under state oversight rules. Under North Carolina law, anyone who owns or controls petroleum must immediately notify the state Department of Environmental Quality if a discharge under 25 gallons cannot be cleaned up within 24 hours or if it causes a sheen on nearby surface water, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. The state's Division of Water Resources says it is responsible for coordinating communications and cleanup efforts for spills that threaten to reach surface waters, per the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
For now, the full extent of the spill's environmental impact and the cause of the leak remain unresolved as agencies continue their work along Briar Creek. Residents near the Elizabeth neighborhood are being asked to steer clear of the water and keep an eye out for updates as the investigation moves forward.
