KENNEWICK, Wash. – The man who was responsible for a fuel spill that fueled a boathouse fire at the Clover Island Boat Launch in Kennewick in late 2022 was given an environmental penalty by the Department of Ecology.
According to Jessica Kulaas with Ecology, an estimated 12 to 23 gallons of gasoline and lubricant oil spilled into the Columbia River prior to the fire.
Ecology says the Washington Emergency Management Division was not notified of the spill, which later caught fire on Dec. 7, 2022. The fire’s cause was never determined.
The Kennewick Fire Department reported in a press release from Dec. 8, 2022 that two boathouses were destroyed in the fire and two others were damaged. The Clover Island Boat Launch was closed for several days following the fire for the cleanup process.
The man who caused the spill was issued the penalty on July 1, 2024 for pollution, failure to notify and failure to contain, collect or remove oil. He faced a $2,600 penalty.
