Walla Walla Fire Department officials have set up an incident action plan, which will be updated daily or as conditions change. The IAP defines the objectives of the response, lists the assignments and contact information of everyone involved, sets a daily schedule, provides maps of the area and other relevant background information, and more.

The current priorities for the response are to identify the source of the gasoline and to ensure the Marcus Whitman Hotel is safe for reoccupation. Investigation into the source is ramping up today. 

Clean Harbors and Department of Ecology staff are performing drilling to determine the extent of the gasoline "plume." The drilling will go to a depth of 20-25 feet, beginning to the east and northeast of the hotel and spreading out from there as readings indicate the continued presence of contamination.

Water and soil samples will be collected and sent to a laboratory for "fingerprint analysis" to identify any petroleum substances found within.

At the same time, DOE will perform testing on all the fuel lines and gasoline storage tanks at the Chevron and Circle K stations to detect potential leaks.

WWFD continues to perform regular testing of all the buildings in the area — both north and south of Rose Street. This testing has not detected the presence of high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or LELs (lower explosive limits) in any new areas.

Ongoing active ventilation in the basements of the hotel and the building at 106 N. 2nd Ave. continues to keep the atmosphere stable in those areas. 

Walla Walla's Public Works staff and a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency are teaming up to reinspect the stormwater system in the area. Absorbent booms are in use, and continual monitoring has detected zero contamination in Mill Creek. Additional absorbent booms are being installed out of an abundance of caution to ensure the creek remains free of contaminants

The Walla Walla Post Office remains closed and within the fenced-off area. A USPS contractor is traveling here to coordinate a response at that building. Current instructions for sending and receiving mail are available here.

The response team appreciates the flexibility of the community as we learn more about the situation and adjust our approach to changing conditions.

City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov) as the situation changes.

Photos

A team from Walla Walla Fire Department performs an air-quality reading at the basement of the Pantorium building on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Rose Street, on Sept. 20, 2023. No contaminants have been detected in new locations in the area, either north or south of Rose Street.

City staff meet with representatives from the Marcus Whitman Hotel, Clean Harbors, the state Department of Ecology and other agencies to review the current Incident Action Plan and discuss the next steps in the response, in the Walla Walla City Council Chambers, on Sept. 20, 2023.