Beals Street Apartment Building Evacuated After Diesel Fuel Floods Basement

Clean-up crews spent the morning sopping up diesel fuel in a Beals Street basement after a ruptured line forced residents to evacuate late last night.

Fire officials estimate that 30 to 40 gallons of home-heating fuel leaked from the ruptured line into the basement of 5 Beals St. before firefighters were able to trigger a shut-off valve. The spilled fuel created noxious fumes in the building and forced several residents out onto the street.

"Diesel oil has a distinct odor and you can almost taste it if you stay too long," said Michael O'Reilly, chief of operations for the Brookline Fire Department.

Firefighters were called to Beals Street shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday night and stayed on the scene until about 1:30 a.m. O'Reilly said the seven residents displaced by the spill declined assistance from the Red Cross and are staying with friends and family. The building houses nine units, but several  are commercial offices.

One firefighter injured his back while ventilating the basement and was taken to Beth Israel Hospital for evaluation. O'Reilly said the firefighter was released this morning.

Oil company crews arrived early this morning to begin cleaning up the basement. O'Reilly said residents will not be able to return home until town health inspectors give the OK, which could come in the next 24 to 48 hours.

O'Reilly said the line ruptured between a filter and two fuel tanks that feed the building's water heater and furnace. He said it wasn't clear what caused the rupture, which was located in an isolated corner of the basement, but he said oil company officials would like investigate the cause after the basement is cleaned up

He said there was no lasting damage to the building.