Earthquake: The Long Road Back : Residents Demand Oil Pipeline Be Rerouted : San Fernando: One man was burned, and homes and cars were damaged and destroyed when quake ruptured line owned by Arco.

Fearful San Fernando city residents Friday demanded that an oil pipeline that ruptured and burst into flames during the quake, consuming cars and houses, be rerouted away from their homes.

“Why weren’t we told that this was under our property,” Eddie Holguin, who has lived in the area since 1947, asked at a street-corner news conference. Like many neighbors, he said he was unaware the pipeline--one of several that traverse the San Fernando Valley--ran under the neighborhood.

The 130-mile pipeline, which connects Kern County oil fields to refineries in the South Bay, runs under or next to the O’Melveny Elementary School playground, a spokesman for Arco, owner of the oil line, confirmed in an interview.

The line spilled several hundred barrels of crude oil onto Wolfskill Street bordering the school, said the spokesman, Albert Greenstein. He said that crude oil is not easily ignited but that speculation that a car ignited the oil are plausible.

“We came outside after the earthquake and it smelled like gas really bad,” said Arnold Martinez, whose apartment was damaged in the fire.

“(The oil) was running all down the street. I thought it was water at first. A car was driving by and it ignited (the oil) and all the cars on the street blew up,” Martinez said.

No one was killed in the oil fire, but Arthur Rodriguez, 21, of Sylmar suffered third-degree burns over 30% of his body when his motorcycle burst into flames.

Three homes were damaged and one destroyed. Seventeen cars were also destroyed, Greenstein said.

The line has been shut down and “will remain out of service for several weeks” until it has been inspected and approved by the state fire marshal and the cities of San Fernando and Los Angeles, Greenstein said.

That did not mollify residents of the area.

“It’s not only affected me professionally, but also personally,” said Lorena Fregoso, a teacher at the school, who also lives in the neighborhood. “I feel really unsafe.” Fregoso said.

Fregoso said the teachers were aware there were oil pipes underground in the area, but they didn’t know exactly where.

Arco officials said they are working with residents to help them repair and replace cars and homes damaged in the fire.

“We would be glad to consider moving the line outside the school area if we can get permits from the city of San Fernando and the city of Los Angeles to do so,” Greenstein said. The rupture was one of eight quake-caused breaks on a 35-mile stretch of the line, including a serious break in Valencia that spilled oil into the Santa Clara River, Greenstein said.