City of Avon Lake responds to gasoline leak at Shell station

12/17/2025 – Avon Lake, Ohio – On Monday, December 15, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the City of Avon Lake (City) responded to a report of a strong gasoline odor in the vicinity of the Moore Road and Electric Boulevard intersection on the City’s west side. City safety services personnel noticed gasoline odor emanating from the storm sewer. Avon Lake Fire Department conducted an investigation and confirmed the presence of a gasoline odor in the storm sewer system. Avon Lake Regional Water and City Public Works personnel also responded to the incident to assess potential contamination.

The City began mitigation of the site immediately and notified the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State Fire Marshall of the incident. By early Tuesday morning, spill had been mitigated, the gasoline odor had dissipated, and the site no longer posed a threat to public safety.

“The City’s fire and police departments, and Avon Lake Regional Water were instrumental in mitigating this unfortunate incident,” said Avon Lake Mayor Mark Spaetzel. “I want to recognize their prompt response and mobilization. Without their timely action mitigation efforts would not have begun so quickly.”

Due to the distance from shore, the depth of the City’s water intakes, and the water treatment process itself, Avon Lake Regional Water advises the public there is no danger of contamination of the drinking water treated at the Avon Lake Water Filtration Plant.

By Tuesday afternoon the site was under EPA control. The source of the odor was traced to a leaking underground storage tank at the gas station located at the Moore Road and Electric Boulevard intersection. Representatives of the City and the EPA remained onsite to closely monitor clean-up efforts performed by a contractor hired by the owner of the gas station. The State Fire Marshal's Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Remediation is investigating the cause of the leak.