City of Wayne says motor oil that was discharged into Rouge River was accidental

WAYNE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A local business in Wayne has been identified as the source of an oily substance that was reported in the Rouge River Sunday morning.

A hazmat team responded to reports of an unknown liquid floating in the river in the city of Wayne that first began Saturday and continued through the weekend. The fire department also placed floatation devices designed to catch contaminants in river and lake systems in the river. 

As the substance continued expanding following initial reports, the Western Wayne Hazmat team was called for help. 

Following an investigation on Sunday, the city of Wayne announced on Facebook that the substance had been identified as motor oil. According to the post, the source of the oil "is taking full are responsibility and is paying for the clean up" and has contacted a company to start remediation. 

"This was not done intentionally and was in fact accidental."

State officials were in touch with the city throughout the investigation. So was the National Response Center, a division of the EPA that deals with oil, chemical, and other discharges into waterways.

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A Metro Detroit waterway avoided the worst of a chemical leak following reports that a toxic cancer-causing pollutant had made its way into the Huron River. The spill originated from a manufacturing plant in Wixom.

It was among several contaminant advisories observed around Michigan this weekend.