Oily material found in Saline River under investigation, police say

An oily substance was found in the Saline River at Curtiss Park on Thursday, according to police in the Southeast Michigan community of Saline.

The Saline Area Fire Department, local hazardous material teams, the Saline Police Department and Michigan's Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Department investigated a suspicious substance in the river at Curtiss Park Thursday afternoon, authorities say.

A caller reported that an oily substance was exiting the storm outlet in the park, according to local police.

The Department of Public Works responded to assist in locating the source, and although samples were taken, the source of the substance has not yet been identified, police say.

The Saline Police Department says it cannot determine the point of origin at this stage either, but it is tracking storm drains and related issues. The police have determined that it came from uphill to the east.

Police say the material is contained within a small area and that they are working with the agencies involved to identify the source of the substance and mitigate the risk.

Curtiss Park, along Michigan Avenue, is the oldest and second-largest of Saline's municipal parks. The facilities include a baseball field, playground equipment and trails.