SANTA ANA : Plumbing Backs Up; Sewage Floods Streets

More than a thousand gallons of raw sewage poured onto city streets Thursday night when the plumbing at an apartment complex backed up, authorities said.

The sewage had been spilling out onto West McFadden Avenue for at least 90 minutes before fire officials were called to the scene at 8:05 p.m., Santa Ana Fire Department Capt. Mike Overn said.

“It’s a pretty big mess,” Overn said at the scene. “Doesn’t smell too good.”

The spill originated from a large apartment complex at 2701 W. McFadden Ave.

Apparently, the plumbing backed up and the apartment manager “opened up the clean-out stops”--ports in the sewage pipes to clean out blockages--which allowed the sewage to flow out onto the streets, Overn said.

Fire officials were unable to determine what caused the plumbing blockage. A plumber, however, managed to clear the clogged pipes.

Overn said the spill, which was still being mopped up late Thursday night, could pose a health risk.

“It’s like flushing your toilet and having it go straight to the street,” he said.

The Orange County Environmental Management Agency was expected to assess the spill damage today. Several hundred gallons of sewage flowed into a storm drain at Fairview Street about a block away from the apartment complex.

There was no evacuation of the area, and no injuries were reported.

One lane of traffic on McFadden Avenue and several driveways were closed for several hours to prevent “tracking” of the sewage, Overn said.