Some 10,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the streets today after a pipeline ruptured in a Los Angeles neighbourhood, officials said.
The oil was "knee deep" in some areas and spread over a half mile area in Atwater Village, northwest of downtown Los Angeles, officials said after the early morning spill.
A geyser of crude spurted up to 20 feet in the air after the rupture in the aboveground pipe, in an industrial area next to a strip club, Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesman David Spence told NBC4 television.
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Two women were taken to hospital after the leak from a 20-inch pipe which ruptured shortly after midnight, said an LAFD statement.
"Oil is knee high in some areas. A handful of commercial businesses are affected," it said. LAFD officers initially estimated the amount of oil as 50,000 gallons, but later cut that to 10,000 gallons.
Los Angeles is currently roasting in a heatwave which has seen several records broken, with temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (around 38 degrees Celsius) for a second day today.
The heat and strong Santa Ana winds have fuelled a string of wildfires south of Los Angeles around San Diego, which have forced thousands to evacuate over the last three days, and destroyed a number of homes.
