EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — Eglin Air Force Base officials are continuing their efforts to clean up after a dropped fuel tank landed in a residential area in Niceville.
According to an update from the 96th Test Wing on Friday, Eglin personnel have safely removed the fuel tank from the location impacted by the incident on Jan. 8. Officials from the 96th Civil Engineer Group’s Spill Response team are tending to the scene.
“Our environmental management team is working diligently to clean up the affected areas,” Col. Michelle Sterling, 96th CEG commander, said in a news release. “We are communicating our efforts with the homeowners and want to assure the community we are engaged in cleanup procedures.”
Cleanup is expected to last several weeks, and the cause of the incident is under investigation by the Air Force Safety Investigation Board.
More Eglin AFB: Eglin Air Force Base: 300-gallon fuel tank drops from F-16 into Niceville residential area
The incident occurred about 11 a.m. on Tuesday when a 300-gallon fuel tank fell from an F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 96th Test Wing.
The tank landed in a residential area near Nathey Avenue and Monette Street in Niceville. No injuries or property damage were reported.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Eglin AFB continues clean up after fuel tank dropped from F-16