A representative from Melbourne Transport and Warehousing says it is the company behind a significant chemical spill which polluted waterways in Melbourne's west.
Hundreds of dead fish were seen floating to the surface of Cherry Lake in Altona last week.
Environmental authorities believe more than 12,000 litres of chemicals were spilt from a site that stores agricultural fertilisers, with some of that pollution leaking into a stormwater drain.
From that drain the chemicals made their way into Cherry Creek near the Laverton North industrial area.
That creek flows into Cherry Lake and then down onto Port Phillip Bay, near the popular Altona dog beach.
Dead fish were seen through Cherry Lake and on the beach, where the creek meets the bay.
Last night the company identified itself to local residents in Altona, at a community meeting organised by the Environmental Protection Authority.
Company expresses 'deep concern' over spill
Melbourne Transport and Warehousing Group's director of operations, Mathew McDonald, told residents the spill started outside its business in Laverton North after a fire.
The fire was not reported to emergency services.
The Environmental Protection Authority is investigating the spill and WorkSafe is making its own inquiries.
The company has said it is complying with an EPA notice that has been issued. Mr McDonald declined to speak to the ABC.
In a statement, the company said it took part in the meeting to "express its deep concern" about the spill and "to advise actions to date and plans to rejuvenate the lake".
The company was described as a small, family-owned transport and warehousing business with 15 employees.
The site of the fire was "a storage depot for agricultural fertilisers used by farmers".
Altona environmentalist, Diana Rice, was part of the community meeting.
She praised the company for speaking to residents.
But Ms Rice said she didn't believe the company had apologised properly to residents or expressed regret.
She said residents were most concerned about the recovery of the local waterways and how they could be repaired after this severe spill.
Another Altona resident, Adeline Barham, described the community meeting as "a bit awkward."
She said residents still didn't understand how the fire started and were worried about pollution making it into Port Phillip Bay.
"We are still anxious because we don't know enough about the test results," she said.
Ms Barham praised the clean-up efforts so far but said it could take a long time for the lake to recover.
