The Citizen staff report

A cargo truck driver was unaware that his vehicle was leaking diesel fuel onto Route 38 as he drove from Throop to Auburn Thursday morning, emergency officials said.

Auburn Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Fritz said the truck, operated by Marten's Farms in Port Byron, blew an O-ring in its fuel system, causing the 18-wheeler to leak diesel from the intersection of Turnpike Road and Route 38 in Throop to the intersection of John and Genesee streets, where the vehicle was stopped by the Auburn Police Department at about 7:50 a.m.

While he did not know how much fuel leaked out of the 300 gallon tank, Fritz said the truck traveled about 3 miles before it was stopped.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation was called in after emergency crews laid down sand to soak up the fuel and reduce the slippery nature of the roads, Fritz said. The DEC determined that the spill posed no risk to the local watershed.

At least one property damage traffic accident was caused by the spill, but details were not immediately available, police said.