Latest Pierpont Hazmat Incident Mitigated, Sunday Morning's Evacuation Orders And Warnings Lifted
Sunday September 22, 2024
(Photos courtesy VPD and VFD)
For official information https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/2570/36584/Emergency-Alert
Update--Ventura City officials say they've LIFTED all of the latest evacuation orders and warnings for the Pierpont community that were issued Sunday morning when gasoline vapors in the sewer system again reached concerning levels for the second time in less than a week.
Fire officials say they were again able to mitigate the problem by airing out the sewer system by opening up manhole covers.
Officials are also identifying the business they blame as the alleged source for this continuing hazmat incident as the Sinclair gasoline station at Monmouth Way and Harbor Boulevard.
City officials say during the past week some 2,000 gallons of gasoline has leaked from Sinclair into the sewer system.
Sunday's hazmat incident impacted a larger area of Pierpont than Thursday's.
City officials say they've stopped the leaking gasoline from getting into the sewer and Sinclair says it has stopped the leak at their end and have shut down until they can repair the problem.
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Here is the previous story from Saturday before the latest incident Sunday morning...
This new hazmat incident follows yesterday's word from the city that the situation was under control.
Read Saturday's update below...
From Saturday--Finally, the answer to what caused the hazardous materials incident in Ventura's Pierpont community on September 19th that prompted evacuations, road closures, and the early release of students from Pierpont Elementary School.
The city says it was a "gasoline substance" that leaked into the sewer system from a property along Monmouth Way between Pierpont Boulevard and Harbor Boulevard, a mile from where the September 19th emergency was focused on Bayshore Avenue near Peninsula Street.
The city began to get complaints about the odor six days before it reached levels that prompted the full blown hazmat incident on September 19th.
Their problem was finding the source and identifying it.
Meanwhile, the owner of the property where the leak started is investigating and isolating the exact cause and location of the leak.
Crews were continuing the repair the 300 foot section of sewer line impacted by the leak which is why there have been closures on Monmouth Way between Pierpont Boulevard and the southbound 101 off ramp on Harbor Boulevard.
They should be done by Monday.
