Residents living near the River Taff in south Wales have been told to keep their doors and windows shut after an oil leak spread more than two miles along the river. The strong smell of fuel filled the air across several villages, leaving people unable to open their windows and causing some residents to suffer from burning eyes.
The pollution began on Friday when kerosene, a type of aviation fuel, escaped into an underground drainage system. GE Aerospace confirmed that the fuel leaked from its nearby site during repair work. Officers from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said the kerosene quickly travelled down nearly 2.5 miles (about 4 kilometres) of the river, affecting communities including Nantgarw and Taffs Well.
The spill has caused serious damage to local wildlife, and environmental officers have already found dead fish in the water. Local residents described the river water as having a shiny layer of oil on top and smelling like a petrol station. One former environmental officer living in the area warned that because fuel does not mix with water, cleaning the waterway completely could take years instead of months.
Emergency teams and specialist workers have placed absorbent materials where the tributary joins the River Taff to soak up the fuel. Officials explained that fast water flows made it impossible to place barriers across the main river itself, but they have managed to reduce the amount of oil entering the water. Public Health Wales continues to advise residents to stay away from the river and to call health services if they feel unwell.