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Maine real‑estate company is facing fines over $10,000 after an employee deliberately dumped more than 275 gallons of motor oil at a closed auto garage in Brunswick. In May, the worker used a forklift to move a large oil tank outside the premises, overturned it in a parking lot, and then returned the empty container to the building on Pleasant Street. The dumping site lies close to the Androscoggin River and the town’s water supply. When state environmental officials arrived, they discovered three additional destroyed oil tanks in a trash bin and evidence of another spill elsewhere.

    Cleanup crews removed more than 34 tons of contaminated soil and groundwater. All polluted material was taken to a disposal facility. The property owner, 157 Pleasant LLC, learned of the incident from the employee. Manager Stephen Goodrich fired the worker after reviewing video footage recorded by a bystander. Goodrich, whose firm normally handles redevelopment projects, said the footage “horrified” him and that they do not normally handle hazardous materials.

    Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection imposed a $5,000 penalty and an additional $5,600 to cover state response costs, noting Goodrich’s full cooperation. State law requires oil‑spill reports within two hours; the witness called authorities about two hours after the dumping, and Goodrich reported the incident roughly 30 minutes later. The worker left the site without attempting any cleanup. The incident underscores the impact of community vigilance: the bystander’s timely reporting helped prevent further illegal chemical spills and protected local water supplies.