Oil Well Explodes at Texaco Property in Ventura
An abandoned oil well exploded Sunday night, sending a mixture of oil and water over a 150-foot area on the Texaco Oil property on Ventura Avenue, authorities said.
No one was injured in the 7 p.m. incident near Shell Road. Authorities received several calls from nearby residents who reported hearing an explosion in the area.
Crews from Ventura city and county fire departments worked for more than two hours to stabilize the scene, and the spill was isolated to oil company property, officials said.
Oil company officials said pressure built up inside the well, and the wellhead ruptured, spewing the sticky substance about 100 feet in the air. After the pressure was released, the substance stopped flowing, they said.
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