Hebron school reopens after oil spill

HEBRON — Students are returning to a Hebron elementary school more than a week after a heating oil spill forced them to take classes at a different school.

State environmental officials say about 140 students will be allowed to return to Hebron Station school on Monday, with some precautions.

Superintendent Rick Colpitts tells the Sun Journal that clean water will be trucked to a holding tank to prevent the use of the well water while the cleanup continues. Tests indicate the well water was not contaminated.

The spill of about 1,900 gallons of heating oil occurred Dec. 24 when the gauge on the school’s oil tank malfunctioned, showing the tank was empty when it was not. When the delivery driver tried to fill it, the oil spilled.