Panic Buying at the Pump in Los Angeles Following Shutdown of Fuel Pipeline Facility

Residents of Los Angeles and surrounding areas were met with long lines at the pump on Friday, as panic buying ensued following the shutdown of a fuel pipeline facility in California.

The pipeline operator, Kinder Morgan, reported a leak at their Watson Station in Long Beach, California on Thursday afternoon, forcing the shutdown of their CALNEV and SFPP West pipelines. The source of the leak was isolated and the facility began to deliver fuel by Saturday afternoon.

Katherine Hill, communications manager for the publicly traded company, reported that there were no injuries or fire reported as a result of the incident. Clark County officials also said they believed supplies would not be affected by the leak.

The shutdown of the fuel pipeline facility caused panic buying at the pump in the Los Angeles area, as drivers rushed to fill up their tanks. Despite the shutdown, officials said they believed supplies would not be immediately affected.

Kinder Morgan is continuing to investigate the cause of the leak and is working to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.