Residents Allowed to Return : Crews Mop Up After Newport Blast

Shortly after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, workers using cranes lifted an oil rig off a Newport Beach well that exploded Friday afternoon and police gave Southern California Gas Co. crews the OK to fire up pilot lights in 1,200 homes.

The gas was turned off as a precaution shortly after the fire began. A gas company spokesman said about 100 employees going door to door had most customers’ service restored by 8:30 p.m.

The explosion and fire seriously injured one man and closed off Balboa Boulevard between 38th and 46th streets. Sgt. Bob Harrison said the street, which along with Newport Boulevard provides the only access to the Balboa Peninsula, will remain closed until at least noon today.

The Fire Department reported that 13 homes evacuated after 9 p.m. Friday had been reoccupied and the only serious damage was to a scorched but vacant building at 204 44th St. The American Red Cross manned an emergency shelter at Ensign Junior High School, 2000 Cliff Drive, but had no takers Friday night.

The fire was extinguished and the well capped by firefighters and private firms pouring mud into the hole. Police Officer Greg Armstrong said the danger of another fire or explosion was ended early Saturday and the final concern centered on the rig, which officials feared might topple onto surrounding houses.

“Once that tower’s down, the operation is basically cleanup and traffic,” Armstrong said. “That was the biggest worry as far as public safety.” He said people are being encouraged to use other area beaches today.

The fire is believed to have started from a spark produced by city employees and private contractors attempting to cap the well, according to Police Officer Trent Harrison. City employee George Murdock suffered second-degree burns over 20% of his body and was reported in serious condition at UCI Medical Center.

Four other oil wells in the area were capped in 1973 and the 44th Street well was the only uncapped well in the city.

Employees of Crowley Environmental Systems of Santa Fe Springs meticulously steam-blasted gobs of oil from Balboa in the first of several cleanings required to remove the stubborn stains. The first effort had little effect and Harrison said it probably will take a few weeks to finish the job.

Bob Garrett reflected little concern as the steam swirled up from the sidewalk in front of his 43rd Street home. He paused to dip a brush back into a bucket of cleaning fluid and then applied elbow grease to some stubborn black blotches on his red tile patio.

“We watched the whole thing on TV,” he said, explaining that he decided to spend Friday night at a friend’s house, although police said people could return to their homes at about 9 p.m.

Despite the scrubbing duty, Garrett reacted calmly to the incident. “It hasn’t really been that big a problem,” he said, “although they haven’t got the gas back on yet. It’s just one of those episodes in life.”

At the most westerly point of Newport Bay, just north of 43rd Street, Crowley workers had erected a dam and were raking and sopping the sludge out of the water. Harris said it’s not known how many gallons of oil spilled into the water, but an estimated 420 gallons were spewed throughout the area. Coast Guard and Harbor Department officers assisted in controlling the oil’s spread in the bay.