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On Monday, January 4, during the city’s renovation project on Chason Park, two tanks were uncovered by work crews. Neither the workers, contracted from Mike Floyd Paving & Excavating, nor the city had any idea they were there. According to city manager Chris Hobby, the smaller of the tanks is believed to have been a heating oil tank, while the much larger one is believed to have been a diesel tank. He speculates that they were left over from the Jack Winter textile plant that used to occupy the property.

Universal Environmental Services (UES) was contacted to assist with the clean-up, vacuuming out a mixture of water and diesel still left in the tanks. According to UES, the mixture was over 99% water, with very little diesel left. The tanks were then hauled off by Floyd Paving over the course of Wednesday and Thursday.

Work has since resumed on renovating the park. Hobby has said he does not expect to find any more such tanks.