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Officials believe either kerosene or diesel fuel leaked into the Owasco River through a storm drain near Market Street in Auburn Tuesday morning.

Auburn Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Fritz said officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Op-Tech Environmental Services assisted in the AFD's cleanup efforts but were unable to determine the exact source of the spill other than it probably came from a nearby storm drain.

Fritz said the spill was discovered at 6:10 a.m. when a firefighter saw a sheen floating on top of the water near the Market Street fire station.

While he did not know how much diesel fuel or kerosene leaked into the river, Fritz said he could still smell the pollutant nearly an hour after booms were placed in the water to collect the material.

Booms will remain in the water for at least another 48 hours and could be left in place longer if needed, Fritz said.

Officials do not know how long the diesel fuel or kerosene was in the water or if it made it further down stream to the North Division Street dam, Fritz said. Because the turbulence of the water in that area would break up the sheens, Fritz said it will be difficult for anyone to spot a spill that far down.

If rain forces more pollutants out of the storm drain and into the river the DEC could be called back to conduct a larger investigation, Fritz said.