2 missing in huge Tenn. sewage plant spill. Millions of gallons of sewage flow into river

[cali]

The Associated Press

GATLINBURG, Tenn. -- Officials say they are searching for two workers missing after a wastewater treatment failed near the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and spilled millions of gallons of sewage.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says a holding tank failed Tuesday morning at the Gatlinburg wastewater treatment plant, sending possibly millions of gallons of sewage into the Little Pigeon River.

TEMA spokesman Jeremy Heidt says between 1 1/2 and 3 million gallons of sewage spilled Tuesday morning.

Heidt says some of it entered the river that flows between the lanes of U.S. 441, also called the Spur, between the Smoky Mountain tourism centers of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/05/2151541/2-missing-in-huge-tenn-sewage.html#ixzz1IfNh9AKQ

[DeSwiss]

1. First there was.....

...Champion International Paper company almost http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1594/is_n3_v8/ai_19998018/">literally killing the river with dioxin pollution. And now this.

Damn.

K&R

[nashville_brook]

2. Gatlinburg has always been a shitty place to visit...but they didn't need this.

here's some local coverage:

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/apr/05/2-missing-huge-gatlinburg-sewage-plant-spill/



"The spill is going into the river," Miller said as he stood outside the Gatlinburg Welcome Center, which is next door to the plant.

It's a large storage tank that holds wastewater from catch basins and sewers until it can be pumped out into the treatment part of the plant.

"The treatment section of the plant can only accommodate so much per hour," Miller said.

Sewage is bypassing the plant and going into the river, Miller said.

Miller said he was unaware if anyone had been injured during the spill. A news conference was planned for this afternoon.

The Mountain Press newspaper is reporting that two workers were missing after the plant failure.

TEMA spokesman Jeremy Heidt says between 1 1/2 and 3 million gallons of sewage spilled Tuesday morning.

Heidt says some of it entered the river that flows between the lanes of U.S. 441, also called the Spur, between the Smoky Mountain tourism centers of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Eric Brakins, assistant city manager for the city of Pigeon Forge, tells The Associated Press his city is helping look for the two workers.

[xchrom]

3. recommend

[buddysmellgood]

4. Very sad.

[Blue_Tires]

5. more republican environmental stewardship

[Edweird]

6. Ew. That's a shitty way to go.

[asjr]

7. I remember Gatlinburg in the late 1940s

and early 50s. Pigeon Forge was just a traffic light in the road. I can't go there anymore. The beauty has been removed.