Pipeline Burst Sends Oil Leaking Into Central California Coast
GOLETA, Calif. (AP) - Officials say a broken pipeline has spilled oil into the ocean off the central California coast.
Capt. Dave Zaniboni of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department says a pipeline on the land near Refugio State Beach broke Tuesday and spilled water into a culvert that ran under the U.S. 101 freeway and into the ocean. It left a slick on the surface about 100 feet wide and about 4 miles long. The pipeline has been shut off, but it's not yet clear how much oil spilled.
Zaniboni says firefighters responding to reports of the smell of gas on the beach found the thick black slick and traced it to the pipeline.
Cleanup has begun, and the U.S. Coast Guard, state parks and county emergency officials are responding.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.