A vacuum truck is seen collecting spilled molasses at the Cruzan Rum site at the Gordon Finch Molasses Pier on St. Croix. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM
ST. CROIX — A molasses spill at the Cruzan Rum site located at the Gordon Finch Molasses Pier has prompted a massive cleanup effort at the site, with vacuum trucks seen collecting the spilled product.
The incident is said to have occurred Tuesday night. The Consortium reached out to Cruzan Rum for details, and a local manager provided the contact information for Cruzan Rum public relations in Chicago. Calls placed and an email sent to the PR number Thursday were not returned at time of publication.
According to preliminary details yet to be confirmed by Cruzan Rum, molasses started to overflow through vents at the top of a tank, which was being filled from a vessel docked at the Molasses Pier.
Images of the incident obtained by the Consortium show the sides of the tank darkened by the spill, and a vacuum truck performing cleanup work.
There was also concern that some of the molasses may have spilled into nearby seawater, though Cruzan Rum has yet to comment on the matter. The liquid sugar properties of molasses makes the product harmful to marine life. The liquid sinks quickly to the bottom of the ocean floor, absorbing the oxygen and suffocating fishes and forcing them to seek shallow waters. Unlike oil which rests on the surface of the water and is easily removable, molasses will descend to the bottom and it becomes difficult to eradicate
See the images below.
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