A routine street project in East Los Angeles, California, became something far more serious. A construction crew damaged an underground line, releasing at least 2,400 gallons of crude oil into a heavily traveled intersection and nearby storm drains.
While the flow has since been stopped, the spill reportedly reached the Los Angeles River, setting off an ongoing cleanup and public health response, according to local news station FOX 11.
What’s Happening?
Officials said a crew installing a fiber-optic line near East Cesar Chavez and North Eastern Avenues struck a 16-inch pipeline early in the morning on May 22, the local station reported.
Firefighters were dispatched shortly after, and the California Highway Patrol later issued an alert. According to officials, the operator was then able to stop the flow by closing a valve…