CHESAPEAKE – A Chesapeake councilman is seeking federal aid to help residents temporarily displaced by a 2 million-gallon fertilizer spill.

C.E. "Cliff" Hayes Jr. said Thursday that he asked the city manager to formally contact U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes and Virginia's two senators to see if any federal help can be obtained.

Bill Hayden with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in Richmond told 13News that some of the liquid fertilizer did get into the Elizabeth River via storm drains in the area where the spill occurred.  However, with today’s rain it’s they can not say how much of it made its way in the river.

An emergency shelter was set up for displaced residents. Fire Capt. Steve Johnson said residents may be able to return their homes late Saturday afternoon.

About 20 people living near the spill spent the night away from home as a precaution, Johnson said.

Meanwhile, five local, state and federal agencies are overseeing the clean-up of the spill that occurred Wednesday afternoon.

The storage tank at Allied Terminals collapsed around 3:20 p.m., sending liquid ammonium nitrate across the site and into neighboring roadways.

Removing the fertilizer may take another two days, according to the fire depaprtment.

Rain is helping to minimize the fumes from the fertilizer and dilute its concentration.

Video: Clean-up continues at Chesapeake plant

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Crews are using hoses as vacuums to suck up the liquid and dump trucks are dumping gravel and sand to create a dam around the crippled tank.

Herman Wilson lives nearby and is anxious for news on the situation. He says he has jugs of water to use until he is assured the tap water’s safe.

“I’m drinking bottled water. Ain’t gonna drink none of that water ‘til they test it,” he added.

There is a boil-water alert in place for the South Hill section of Norfolk until further notice because of a water line that broke during the spill.

It's not related to the release of fertilizer.

13News has learned that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Coast Guard and Chesapeake Fire Department are on the scene.

According to Jennifer Wester, spokesperson for Virginia OSHA, two of the four people injured in yesterday’s collapse are employees of Allied Terminals.  She says they’re hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, reportedly chemical burns.  

Wester also says Allied Terminals has a clean track record with the agency.

VOSHA will be looking to see if any standards were violated which may have contributed to the collapse of the tanker.  Wester could not give an estimate on how long the investigation will take, especially since there several agencies are looking into the cause.  

The company is trying to determine how the collapse happened.

"Right now, I haven't the foggiest idea," said Bruce Law, a manager for Allied Terminals which owns the tank.

The Associated Press also contributed to this story.

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