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A 20-inch pipe burst late Wednesday night, spilling 10,000 gallons of oil into the streets of Atwater Village. The L.A. Fire Department says the burst occurred in the 5100 block of San Fernando Rd., next to The Gentleman's Club, which Yelp lists at 5175 W. San Fernando Rd. (and gives four stars). LAFD Spokesman Erik Scott says the oil in some areas is "knee-high."
The 20-inch pipe in question runs from Bakersfield, TX and is owned by Plains West Coast Pipeline. A leaking valve shot oil up 50 feet into the air, CBS2 reports.
Oil spill downgraded to 10,000 gallons / 2 women hospitalized http://t.co/Fz9FBYdL7z pic.twitter.com/knqCMO2wlh
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 15, 2014
View from above shows oil pools after pipeline leak in Atwater Village. http://t.co/ybiZP928N2 pic.twitter.com/CNVlnIHfcf
— Jonathan Lloyd (@JonLloydLA) May 15, 2014
No one was seriously injured, but two women were taken to the hospital after feeling ill. Because of street closures and clean up, the public is advised to avoid the area near San Fernando Road and West Broadway today. Some businesses in the area have been forced to close, but they hope to be open soon.
.@LAFD has temporarily closed the Doran entrance leading to us, but we're hoping the #AtwaterVillageOilSpill is cleaned up asap!
— Golden Road Brewing (@goldenroadbrew) May 15, 2014
Watch a video of the spill here:
Update 5:30 p.m.: While the LAFD has been able to handle the situation and prevent any oil runoff into the storm drains leading to the L.A. River, the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department has released a statement warning people near the affected area to "take precautions to protect against extreme odors from the residual crude oil." Basically, it smells pretty bad, and while this presents a relatively low risk, unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, upset stomach and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat may occur. Children, seniors and anyone with heart or lung conditions should stay inside. Residents should keep their homes well-ventilated until the odors subside.
