Authorities were at the scene of a spill at the Buckeye Terminal in Port Reading that sent diesel fuel into the Arthur Kill Waterway, officials said Friday.

The mishap was reported around 7:15 p.m Thursday and occurred during a product transfer at the terminal, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

In a statement Friday, Buckeye Port Reading Terminal said an equipment failure led to the accidental spill of fuel from the facility's storm water system.

"Buckeye's Emergency Response Team immediately began working around the clock to contain and collect the diesel fuel as well as remediate any environmental impacts of the release," the company said.

"An estimated 200 to 500 barrels of diesel fuel has impacted the Arthur Kill River, of which approximately 130 barrels have been collected to date," according to the company statement.

The terminal will remain shut down until operations are determined to be safe to resume, according to Buckeye.

The Coast Guard said it deployed a pollution response team to the scene and an oil spill removal company was called to handle the cleanup. Crews put a containment boom in the water.

The cause of the spill was being investigated.

Officials urged the public to stay away from the area and report a sheen to Buckeye's emergency line at 1-800-331-4115.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.