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.

No injuries were reported, but the spill entered storm drains and then the Los Angeles River. Authorities said repairs to the pipeline are expected to take days, while the full extent of the spill remained under investigation.

"We've got multiple sites in the L.A. River downstream from here where we have contracted crews that are working to contain the oil," California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Eric Laughlin told FOX 11. "They're out there trying to contain it, and so we're doing everything we can to minimize the impact on the environment."

Why Is This Concerning?

For now, the leak has been controlled. The Department of Fish and Wildlife said wildlife officers, environmental scientists, and oil spill prevention specialists attended to the scene, according to the local news. 

Public health officials said they were coordinating with partner agencies as crews worked to contain the damage and assess any continuing risks. Residents were warned that exposure to strong petroleum smells could cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, and respiratory problems such as asthma symptoms.

The situation has underlined the dangers of polluting energy sources like oil. When human or mechanical error leads to spills, it can trigger environmental and public health crises.

What's Being Done?

Authorities were focused on repairing the pipeline, investigating exactly how the rupture occurred, and determining the full extent of contamination, according to FOX 11.

Officials were expected to remain on site as repairs and environmental monitoring continued. They advised residents to stay away from any visible oil, avoid the affected intersection, and report any wildlife observed exposed to the spilled oil.

"The Oiled Wildlife Care Network has been notified and is on standby for wildlife response," Laughlin told the local station. "No observations of oiled wildlife have been reported at this time."

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