SANGERVILLE – A home heating oil contractor overfilled a fuel tank Wednesday at the Abbie Fowler Elementary School, spilling at least 30 gallons of fuel on the snow-covered playground.

Chase and Kimball Oil Co. of Dover-Foxcroft is expected to begin the cleanup as soon as it can enlist the services of a backhoe and a truck, according to Thomas Varney, oil and hazardous materials specialist with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Varney, who was at the school Wednesday to assess the situation, said the oil-covered snow and soil beneath the snow must be removed from the playground.

A contract driver with the oil company who overfilled the tank at about 6:30 a.m., told a cook at the school about the incident, according to Varney.

The cook called Michael Dexter, SAD 4 maintenance supervisor, who in turn notified the DEP.