Brigham’s Ice Cream Emergency Spill Response

A close-up look at the seam that caused the tank to leak.

A negative air machine that was used to evacuate fumes from the buildings basement.

The temporary Roth oil tank located behind the building supplies fuel until a new tank is installed.

A crew working under the crawl space that divided the 2 businesses.

The source of the problem. The clogged vent line created the back pressure that caused the tank to burst.

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Brigham's Ice Cream is an ice cream manufacturer and franchised restaurant. Brigham's is sold in quart cartons throughout New England, and served at franchised restaurants located in Massachusetts. CommTank was called to the Quincy location when 30-gallons of No. 2 fuel oil was spilled onto the concrete and surrounding soils. The basement heating oil tank had leaked from the bottom and the Quincy Fire Department was called when the staff smelled fuel.

The real estate management company that leased the retail space to Brigham’s hired CommTank for the emergency spill response. The first crews on site worked to contain the leak and recover as much oil as possible. The source of the tank leak was found underneath the soil outside the building. The vent pipe traveled two feet underground before entering the basement. The oil company had complained about the difficulty of filling the tank because of back pressure. When CommTank excavated and removed the vent pipe they found it was corroded and filled with soil. CommTank crews set up negative air machines to move the oil vapors from the basement so they could work safely and remove the damaged tank. The next step was to isolate the contaminated area with polyethylene sheeting so that the restaurant and salon next door would not be affected by oil vapors. The Quincy Board of Health approved the steps taken and allowed the business to reopen.

About the Author: Dan Hoag

Dan Hoag has worked in the environmental and tank storage industry for 16 years. Dan’s range of expertise includes designing systems for oil spill clean-ups, treating soil contamination through "in situ" oxidation and testing, and inspecting underground storage tank systems. As head of Marketing and Information Technologies at CommTank, Dan draws from field experience to write about fuel, water and chemical storage technologies, and the regulations that affect them. He has developed training courses in home inspection, underground storage tank operator, ultrasonic thickness and tank tightness testing. Over the past decade, Dan has published over 60 articles about industry trends and has documented commercial, residential, and environmental projects through illustration, videos, and photography. When Dan unplugs from technology, he spends his time backyard farming, hiking, and kayaking, while masquerading as a hockey player during the wee hours of the morning.