Dumpsters lining Saguaro Boulevard Monday morning indicate there is still work to be done in cleaning up a gasoline spill after a fuel tanker ruptured in an accident early Sunday morning, Nov. 17.

Town Manager Ken Buchanan has made it clear that he expects the tanker operator to do all necessary clean-up from the spill.

In a letter to an executive of United Petroleum Transports, the Oklahoma-based company that operated the fuel tanker, Buchanan stated the recommendation of a consultant (Kleinfelder, Inc. of Tempe) hired by the town to examine the contamination.

“Kleinfelder has recommended removal of the contaminated soil as soon as possible,” Buchanan stated in the letter. “This includes the area underneath the pavement on Trevino Drive and Saguaro Boulevard as well as all curbing.”

Buchanan noted that town staff was present when the soil samples were collected and there was both visual and odor evidence that there was fuel contamination.

Cleanharbors has been hired by United Petroleum Transport to clean up the spill. Initial efforts for the clean-up took place behind the curb along Trevino Drive near the site of the spill and the area where a drainage culvert crosses under Saguaro.

As of Monday morning no work had begun in removing the asphalt or soil along the shoulder of Saguaro.

“Please make sure this scope is included in the overall remediation plan and started as soon as possible,” Buchanan said in his letter.

Read more in Wednesday’s edition of The Times.