'Pipe drilled for diesel' near Sandwell Valley Country Park
An investigation has been launched after reports that a pipe was deliberately drilled to access fuel, in a move which may close a Sandwell road for up to a week.
Diesel was spilled onto Forge Lane near Sandwell Valley Country Park, threatening to contaminate local parkland and leading police to close nearby roads.
Forge Lane was closed between Newton Road and Birmingham Road while the Environmental Health Agency began a clean-up operation.
Sandwell Council said they were working to open the road as soon as possible but that it was likely to remain closed for the rest of the week.
The spillage happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with parts of several nearby roads closed for most of the day.
West Midlands Police said the spillage threatened to contaminate local parkland and that roads would remain closed while the Environmental Health Agency cleaned up.
Early indications suggested that a pipe was deliberately drilled to access the diesel.
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: "Police are investigating the cause of a diesel spillage in Sandwell in the early hours of this morning. Early indications are that a pipe was deliberately drilled to access the fuel, which threatened to contaminate local parkland.
"Local road closures were put in place while the Environmental Health Agency began a clean-up operation."
