Hydraulic fluid was sprayed across parked cars, a hotel driveway and a public pavement in Sandown earlier this week after a refuse collection vehicle suffered a broken pipe, prompting concerns over the potential public and environmental health hazard as well as damage to vehicles.
The incident happened at The Denewood Hotel on Victoria Road at approximately 15:25 on Wednesday when it is said that a pipe on the bin lorry became caught while passing beneath a low-hanging tree and broke.
Isle of Wight Council Waste Services has since stepped in to ‘rectify’ the situation, sending an Operations Manager to the site and deploying a mechanical road sweeper to clean the affected area.
The council has also confirmed that arrangements have been made for vehicles impacted by the hydraulic fluid to be professionally cleaned at local car wash facilities.
Hotel owners contacted Island Echo after the spill, saying hydraulic fluid had been sprayed across their car park and had covered guests’ vehicles.
They also raised concerns that the fluid had reached the public pavement, with passers-by reportedly walking through the slippery area and therefore setting about the potential for the substance to be carried into the hotel on people’s shoes, as well as the possible impact of the fluid on the paintwork of vehicles caught in the spray.
As well as this, owners Sara and Kevin warned the council of the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, saying that immediate action must be taken today (Thursday) as many guests will be checking in, parking their scooters in the contaminated car park – causing a potential ‘death trap’.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council Waste Services said:
“We take incidents with spilt fluids seriously. Following an incident involving one of our collection vehicles, hydraulic fluid was spilt in the driveway of a local hotel.
“An Operations Manager has attended the site to oversee the clean-up operation and liaise directly with the hotel’s owner.
“To rectify the situation, a mechanical sweeper was deployed to clean the affected area, and arrangements have been made for any vehicles impacted by the spill to be professionally cleaned at local car wash facilities.”
Despite the efforts of the council, Sara has informed Island Echo that the clean-up was unsatisfactory to say the least.
It has been said that washing the driveway and pavement has made little to no difference, with the oil resurfacing every time it gets wet, meaning that the traces of the fluid are being walked into their lobby and are beginning to ruin their carpet.
Owners Sara and Kevin said:
“This is really heartbreaking as we have put a lot of time, effort and money into maintaining our property to a high standard.
“The driveway is two years old, and the tarmac is now rising in places – it is ruined. The carpets are four years old and are getting blacker and blacker each day.”
The pair said they have once again had to reach out to the Isle of Wight Council and Veolia as they are looking for answers as to why the refuse vehicle had no spill kit on board and why sand was not put down as an immediate action to prevent the fluid seeping into the tarmac.
The ordeal has left the owners feeling helpless, with passers-by and guests complaining about the mess that they do not have the equipment to clean up nor feel like they should have the job of doing, considering it was not their fault.
They said:
“This is ruining our hotel and business, and it is stressing us out, and the complaints that we are getting from our guests make us just want to cry.
“We are fed up with passers-by walking past and complaining to us that we have caused the mess on the pavement – the respect and reputation that we
had from the local community is clearly being jeopardised.” It is exhausting – and all because of something that had nothing to do with us.”
In the original joint statement made by the Isle of Wight Council Waste Services and Veolia, a spokesperson apologised for any inconvenience that was caused, whilst thanking the hotel, customers and vehicle owners for their patience whilst the matter was resolved.
