Tim Allen’s yacht spills gallons of oil into Traverse City area marina

The Northport Village Marina temporarily closed Sunday after Tim Allen’s yacht leaked diesel fuel into the water.

The spill was mostly contained in the marina, and the Northport Village Marina Harbormaster Bill Rosemurgy estimated it to be nearly 30 gallons. The beach south of the marina also closed due to oil in the sand.

The marina, located north of Traverse City, reopened Monday evening.

The spill was first reported Sunday afternoon, though the fire department wasn't notified of the spill until over an hour after the incident. The U.S. Coast Guard was also brought in to provide oversight and help with cleanup as a crew used brooms and a thousand oil absorbent pads to soak up the diesel from the water.

Leelanau Township Fire Chief Hugh Cook told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that the leak resulted from a fuel filter issue with the yacht. This led fuel to spill into the yacht’s engine compartment, and when there was too much fuel, the bilge pump dumped it into the marina.

Though Allen knew the fuel filter gasket popped while he was out in Omena Bay, he was not aware that his boat was leaking diesel fuel until he docked his boat and onlookers pointed it out to him.

Cook told the Record-Eagle that he does not believe the spill affected wildlife. However, eyewitness Helena Marano told the Record-Eagle that she saw several dead ducklings, carp and pike, and tried to clean one oil-covered duck before it died in her hands.

The actor, known for his roles in “Home Improvement” and “Toy Story,” grew up in Birmingham, and later attended college in the state.

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As the owner of the boat, Allen will be responsible for the cleanup  costs.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tim Allen’s yacht spilled oil into Traverse City area marina