CARMEL

Emergency responders assess the damage outside the nursery school in Carmel. ERIC GROSS Six hundred gallons of oil won’t fit into a 500 gallon tank!

An oil deliveryman found that out the hard way last week when making a delivery to the Little Wonders Pre- School, located in a large stone building between Seminary Hill Road and Route 6 in Carmel.

Laura Ball, proprietor of the school, said when the oil tank was filled to capacity, the “top popped and the oil went everywhere.”

The seven children attending classes at the time were safely evacuated. Ball said “emergency contact numbers were called and the children were picked up within an hour.”

The spill brought out a small army of emergency responders since the oil began draining towards Lake Gleneida, which is part of the New York City watershed system. Carmel Fire Department Assistant Chief Robert Lipton surveyed the situation before summoning additional help.

Representatives of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Putnam County Hazardous Materials Team, Putnam Health Department, Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services, and the Moran Company of Newtown, Conn., a specially trained environmental recovery company, spent hours at the scene removing oil-soaked debris inside the school as well as absorbent pads placed around drains to prevent the oil from entering the lake.

Authorities did not identify the oil company that caused the spill, but officials said fines were expected to be levied once the investigation has been completed.

Also assisting at the scene were members of the Carmel Police Department, Carmel Fire Police unit, Putnam Deputy Emergency Coordinator James Ciulla and Putnam Health Sanitarian Larry Werper.

No injuries were reported. Crews spent seven hours at the scene.

—Eric Gross