The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting that a ruptured oil pipe erupted in an oil geyser, spilling thousands of gallons of crude oil onto the streets of Glendale, a suburb of the city.
NBC Los Angeles reports that “oil shot 15 to 20 feet upward and onto a nearby business, The Gentlemen’s Club, coating the windows,” adding that “two workers from a nearby industrial plant for Baxter, a healthcare company, were sickened by the fumes and transported to the hospital.
“This oil comes from the Bakersfield area, this is a pumping transfer station and pumping transfer station then transfers the oil to a storage facility in Long Beach,” Batallion Chief David Spence said.
LAFD reported that oil was knee-high in some areas.
As reported by RT, “The leak from a 20-inch pipe was first reported at around 12:15 am local time. The oil line was remotely shut off, the (LAFD) said in a press release. The oil spill has covered approximately a half-mile area, and is knee deep in some spots.”
“We are on hand vacuuming up the spilled oil, mopping up what’s left behind and pressure washing the area with a soap solution,” Reuters cites Moore as saying. “The responders are mopping what’s on the ground with absorbent diapers.” The cleanup is expected to take 24 hours.
The leak, which was sprung near 5175 W. San Fernando Rd., has affected some commercial businesses. Four people at a nearby business were evacuated with respiratory complaints, and two people were transferred to a hospital, the Associated Press said, citing a fire official.
“Oil is knee-high in some areas,” the fire department said in a statement. “A handful of commercial businesses are affected.”
Crude oil runs down street uncontained heading towards more businesses in Atwater Village. pic.twitter.com/fObzwdrvlO
— Newsreel TV (@newsreeltv) May 15, 2014
You can watch raw footage below.
Raw: LA Oil Spill Spews Crude Into Streets
Raw Video: 10K Oil Spill in Atwater Village
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