Gallons of Sewage From Spill Closes Beaches Ahead of Hot, Sunny Day

Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA: Approximately 250,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the Los Angeles River and ultimately washed onto the Long Beach shoreline Thursday morning/afternoon due to a sewage blockage in the city of Downey.

Los Angeles County Sanitation advised the city in regards to a mishap with one of their pieces of equipment, causing a blockage in the sewage system that led to the spill out onto Rives Avenue just north of Stewart & Gray Road around 9 a.m. Thursday, Apr. 20.

The leak was eventually contained, however, officials estimated that over 250,000 gallons still made it into the flood drain and out into the L.A. River.

A Key News Network photographer exiting the I-710 Freeway at Imperial Highway which is near the L.A. River, was overwhelmed by a horrendous sewage stench coming from the area around 1:00 a.m. Friday, Apr. 21.

Crews were observed still flushing out the storm drain at the corner of Rives and Stewart & Gray as of 1:30 a.m.

All beaches in the city of Long Beach are expected to remain closed until further notice pending testing of the waters.

Long Beach temperatures for Friday are expected to reach into the 80s.

Nathan Holguin, Video Journalist / KNN