Cleanup of chromium spill in progress

Story courtesy of the StarTribune

Workers have arrived in northeast Minneapolis to begin cleanup of a chemical spill discovered Tuesday afternoon.

I reported today that frozen chromium was found next to the train tracks behind Superior Plating, a 92-year-old company set to close next week after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. The plant is at 315 1st Av. NE., and the spill stretched for about two blocks, Superior Plating President Michael McMonagle said, on Tuesday.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has called in Bay West, a Minnesota-based environmental consulting firm, to start the cleanup. The state hopes it will be done by 3 p.m. Thursday, said Pam McCurdy, a MPCA spokeswoman.

"No one's in danger," she said.

She also said the Northstar commuter rail, which uses the track next to the spill, shouldn't be disrupted.

Tuesday's spill delayed most of the Northstar Commuter Rail outbound trips from Target Field station to Big Lake station, said John Siqveland, a spokesman for Metro Transit. Buses were used to take about 250 people northbound along the line before the trains were allowed to resume, Siqveland said. The trains ran on schedule this morning.

The vast majority of the traffic on the tracks is freight, Siqveland said. Amtrak also uses the tracks, but it didn't experience any delays Tuesday, said Marc Magliari, spokesman for Amtrak.

There isn't an estimate yet on how much the cleanup will cost, McCurdy said.