FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO WRITE UP FUEL SPILL PARKED AT THE GATE AND OBTAIN MAINT RELEASE PRIOR TO FLT.

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WE WERE FLYING ACR FROM GFK TO MSP ON JUN/WED/96. WHILE STILL PARKED AT THE GATE; THE STATION AGENT CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID THEY WERE STOPPING PAX BOARDING DUE TO A FUEL SPILL. HE ASKED THE CAPT IF THE PAX ON BOARD SHOULD BE EVACED. CAPT SAID NO; AND TURNED OFF THE APU SO WE COULD USE EXTERNAL PWR. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED OUT AND BOTH THE CAPT AND I WENT OUTSIDE TO VERIFY THAT THE SPILL WAS BEING CLEANED UP; ETC. WE OBTAINED A NEW RELEASE FROM DISPATCH AS WE NOW HAD ABOUT 1000 LBS EXTRA FUEL. WE DEPARTED GFK FOR MSP AND FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON LNDG CAPT DECIDED TO WRITE UP THE INCIDENT IN THE MAINT LOGBOOK THINKING THAT IF MAINT COULD CHK THE AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF SYS FOR FUELING; PERHAPS ANOTHER INCIDENT LIKE THIS WOULD BE PREVENTED. UPON CONTACTING MAINT CTL WE LEARNED THAT WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE DEPARTED GFK WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING THEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT CONCERNING THIS WHOLE EVENT. NEITHER OF US WERE AWARE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONSULTED WITH MAINT PRIOR TO DEPARTING AFTER THE FUEL SPILL. THE FIRE DEPT HANDLED THEIR PORTION WELL; WE HAD EXTRA FUEL ON BOARD; OBTAINED THE NEW RELEASE NECESSARY; AND CONSEQUENTLY DEPARTED. I KNOW NOW THAT IF THIS EVER OCCURS AGAIN; WE WON'T MOVE THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT TALKING TO MAINT.