Local News in Brief : Ferraro Calls for Methane Task Force
Los Angeles City Council President John Ferraro called Friday for the formation of a task force to analyze the dangers posed by underground methane gas in the Fairfax District.
The potentially explosive gas, which exists in vast pockets and is a remnant of the oil fields that were once spread throughout the area, was detected Tuesday leaking from fissures in the basements of several stores on 3rd Street.
The discovery prompted the closing of dozens of businesses while officials traced the problem to a clogged vent built after a methane gas explosion in 1985. The vent was cleared of debris by Thursday and the area, which is in Ferraro’s district and includes the bustling Farmers Market, returned to normal Friday.
Ferraro said the city needed to form a task force to study the problem because leaking methane gas in the area of 3rd Street and Ogden Drive “appears to be a continuous problem requiring immediate review and analysis.”
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