Rescuers rush to save geese and ducks soaked in oil due to spill in Boston river

BOSTON (AP) — Wildlife rescuers were rushing Monday to tend to dozens of geese and ducks that were soaked in oil after a spill in a Boston river.

Police and fire departments were dispatched to the Muddy River on the border of Boston and the town of Brookline a little after noon on Sunday following reports of a possible oil leak, Brookline police said. Responders found there was some kind of leak into the waterway that impacted wildlife — including numerous ducks and geese, police said.

State environmental officials and wildlife rescuers responded and were still on the job Monday, officials said.

Preliminary findings show the oil leak appears to be coming from a storm drain under a nearby condominium complex, said Danielle Burney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection estimates less than 100 gallons (379 liters) of oil was released, Burney said.

The DEP was still investigating the exact source of the spill, which is being contained and managed, Burney said.

“The New England Wildlife Center is on-site to collect affected waterfowl for treatment and rehabilitation at their facility. They will continue to monitor the area to ensure the safety and well-being of the local wildlife,” Burney said.

Rescuers said it would take up to a month for the birds to be treated and released back into the wild. Twenty birds were accounted for by Monday afternoon, but dozens more were expected to need care, said Katrina Bergman, president of New England Wildlife Center, which was responding to the animals.

Bergman said most of the birds were Canada geese and mallards, which are a common sight alongside the Muddy River. The river is a popular site for walkers and joggers. The spill happened in the area of the Longwood train station, about a mile from Fenway Park.

Caring for the animals is difficult because they need to be cared for without stressing them out, said Zak Mertz, chief executive officer of New England Wildlife Center.

Giving the injured wildlife room to let rescuers tend to them was critical, officials said.

“We don't want to cause them to do any extra activity, especially if they have oil in the mouth and nose, that could do more damage,” Mertz said.

Wildlife rescue involves proper training that most members of the public lack, police said.

“We know that members of the community are concerned for the well being of the impacted wildlife and were interested in what they could do to help. On scene for something like this it’s important that we only use people with proper PPE and training,” Brookline police said in a statement.

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

In this photo provided by New England Wildlife Center, wildlife rescuers at New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass., responded on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, to rescue dozens of ducks and geese that were affected by an oil spill in a Boston river. (New England Wildlife Center via AP)

Meaghan Still, veterinary technician with the New England Wildlife Center, tries to capture an oil covered geese along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A Boston Park Ranger tries to capture an oil covered duck along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Boston, as wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kerry Batchelder, left, veterinary technician with the New England Wildlife Center, tries to capture an oil covered duck along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kerry Batchelder, veterinary technician with the New England Wildlife Center, tries to capture an oil covered duck along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass., as wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Josh Gahagan, a technician with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, carries an oil covered duck he captured near the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass., as wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kerry Batchelder, veterinary technician with the New England Wildlife Center, tries to capture an oil covered duck along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Josh Gahagan, a technician with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, carries an oil covered duck that will be cleaned near the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass., as wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A duck covered with oil walks along the banks of the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass. Wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Katie Handler, veterinary technician with the New England Wildlife Center, reaches to try to capture an oil-covered goose along the Muddy River, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Brookline, Mass., as wildlife rescuers tended to dozens of birds that were soaked in oil after an apparent spill. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)