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RIGA, Mar 23 (LETA) - The State Environmental Service today received information about an oil spill that has polluted the Islice River in the municipality of Viesturi in the southern Latvian region of Rundale, Kristine Klaveniece, a spokeswoman for the State Environmental Service, informed LETA.

An on-site examination revealed that oil products were running downstream in a five kilometer stretch of the Islice River.

Inspectors from the State Environmental Service and rescuers from the State Fire and Rescue Service are currently working at the scene to contain the oil spill. Booms are being placed in the river to collect the oil products, said Klaveniece.

It has been established that the oil products are flowing into the river from a brook. Work is ongoing to detect the original source of the pollution.

Rundale mayor Aivars Okmanis said that the local government's assistance was not needed in dealing with the accident. The local government has notified local residents about the oil spill and advised not to use water from the river and to stay away from the area of the accident. 

In Okmanis' words, the accident should not have a major impact on local residents as there are very few people living in the area. 

Representatives of LatRosTrans, the operator of an oil pipeline crossing the Rundale region, had also arrived to inspect the oil spill in the Islice.