Maryland officials filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit Thursday against Exxon Mobil Corp. and the operator of its Jacksonville fuel station for a 25,000-gallon leak earlier this year that contaminated groundwater, wreaking havoc on nearby residents and businesses who rely on wells.

The 15-count suit alleges that as much as 700 gallons of gas streamed from a hole in an underground tank for 37 days and that store operators failed to promptly report the suspected leak despite obvious inventory discrepancies. The suit also says the station lacked working leak-detection devices.