EAST LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The California Highway Patrol has issued a SigAlert for the closure of the area near East Cesar Chavez and Eastern avenues in East Los Angeles due to a burst underground pipe.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area or seek alternate routes. Road closures will also impact at least 7 neighborhood schools, fire officials said.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said they responded to a call for a possible hazmat situation at about 3:21 a.m. Friday.
Fire officials say a company drilling a 6-inch hole in the ground to install fiber optic cables nicked a 16-inch pipe transporting crude oil from the area of Dodger Stadium to the Port of L.A.
Crude was then seen bubbling up from underground, seeping through the asphalt and concrete. The L.A. County Fire Department said the oil leak was shut down 40 minutes after the initial call.
The leak was estimated to have been flowing at about half a gallon of crude oil a second.
And though there’s no safety threat to residential areas, the agency said a “significant amount of crude oil” leaked into nearby storm drains making it an environmental hazard.
“I live about four houses down and this morning was really bad cause I’m very sensitive to the smells and it was really bad this morning,” said area resident Ernest Mendoza.
“They’re checking the storm drain network to see how far this flow went. Then once they figure that out they’re gonna have to stop it and initiate cleanup efforts,” said L.A. County Fire Spokesperson Capt. Aaron Katon.
The fire department says the smell should subside and recommends those nearby to keep doors and windows closed.
It was not immediately clear how much oil was leaked, but crews estimate it to be less than 2,000 gallons.
“I think it’s pretty sad cause I know this is gonna go directly to the L.A. River and we’re pretty close to Santa Monica so if there’s any like runoff, I’m pretty sure it’s not gonna take long for it to get over there,” said Daniel Ramos, who works nearby.
Capt. Katon told Eyewitness News that cleanup efforts will last all day Friday, and they’re using sand to help absorb the oil, pressure washing it afterwards and then sucking it up so it doesn’t go into the sewers.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
