USA: Over 77,000 gallons of beer spills into creek

By Sarah Diston | 29 August 2000

Over 77,000 gallons of beer was accidentally spilled into a creek at the weekend, killing thousands of fish.

A spokeswoman at Coors Brewing Company, based in the US, said an employee triggered the wrong switch and the beer, which was in fermenting tanks, got washed through a wastewater treatment plant and then into Clear Creek.

Health officials have warned residents to avoid the creek south of the brewery, because of a small bacterial risk that could cause illness, if the water was consumed.