Crude oil spill in East LA reaches Los Angeles River

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

An underground oil pipe ruptured overnight Friday in East Los Angeles, spilling crude oil onto nearby streets, into storm drains and the Los Angeles River, authorities said.

Firefighters responded to a hazmat incident at about 3:19 a.m. Friday at E. Cesar E. Chavez and N. Eastern avenues, according to L.A. County Fire Department Public Information Officer Pauline Ncgee.  Officials said early reports indicated a boring crew conducting directional drilling for a fiber optic line struck a 16-inch petroleum pipeline.

The pipeline was spilling at about 5 gallons per second before it was shut off, Ncgee said. Los Angeles County Fire Department public information officer Jonathan Torres said they estimate between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons were spilled.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis’ office said the spill later reached the Los Angeles River and was moving downstream toward Long Beach and the ocean.

“I am calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into this incident to determine how this occurred and to ensure all responsible parties are held accountable. The environmental consequences of this spill are deeply concerning, and every agency involved must respond with the urgency this situation demands,” said Solis in a statement.

Crude oil from a pipeline rupture reached the LA River on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Courtesy of the Office of Hilda Solis

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Cleanup crews from various agencies were at the scene, including the U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. LA County Fire said the surface-level cleanup was expected to be completed by the end of the day, but added that long-term cleanup and damage assessment will likely take days.

The California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert for multiple streets surrounding the spill. Solis’ office said only one business was affected at the intersection and will remain closed until further notice.

The pipeline flows about 2,000 barrels of crude oil per hour and runs from Kern County to the Port of Los Angeles, Ncgee said. Authorities initially said the pipeline carried 4,600 barrels per hour but later corrected the number.

As of 8:40 a.m., a strong smell of gas lingered near the scene, which was about a block away from Esteban E. Torres High School.

Boyle Heights resident Cruz Flores said he was late dropping off his brother at Esteban E. Torres High School because of the street closures.

“A lot of students were late,” Flores said. “I’m just concerned about the students because you could smell it over there by the school.”

Flores said he saw Torres staff handing out masks to students as they entered the grounds.

A person at the front desk at Torres High, who did not want to provide their name, said the school remained open and the students and staff were provided with masks.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.