Multiple streets near Cesar Chavez and Eastern avenues were shut down after the spill. L.A. County Fire officials said cleanup could take days.

An underground oil pipe ruptured overnight Friday in East Los Angeles, spilling crude oil onto nearby streets, into storm drains and the Los Angeles River, authorities said.

… Officials said early reports indicated a boring crew conducting directional drilling for a fiber optic line struck a 16-inch petroleum pipeline.

The pipeline was spilling at about 5 gallons per second before it was shut off, Ncgee said. Los Angeles County Fire Department public information officer Jonathan Torres said they estimate between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons were spilled.