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Diesel Fuel Spill Capped In San Jose

SAN JOSE (KCBS/ BCN) - Emergency crews in San Jose capped a fuel leak at the AT&T building Sunday morning. 1,300 gallons escaped from a day tank located on the roof of the building.

San Jose Fire Captain Barry Stallard said the diesel spill was first reported Saturday at 5:15 p.m., on South Almaden Boulevard and that firefighters responded shortly after

Stallard said the fuel was generated by a rooftop engine that is in place in case of a power outage, but that the unit itself began to pump after creating a demand, but for whatever reason, "it did not stop".

The fuel leaked from the building into the street stretching about 1,000 feet in a nearby sewage system and about 2,500 feet in the surrounding area. It leaked for about an hour Stallard said.

The engine's fuel capacity is about 100 gallons, but is connected to tanks in the building parking lot that hold about 50,000 gallons.

The 10-story AT&T Corp. building is a major Bay Area communication center, which handles many 911 calls in addition to standard service. Phone service was uninterrupted and no injuries were reported, but the building itself has suffered some damage.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause.

Despite the leak, Sunday's marathon race in downtown San Jose will go on as crews were able to open all streets.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report)

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