A two mile stretch of beach has been closed, from the El Segundo Jetty to Longfellow Avenue in Hermosa Beach, due to the appearance of an unknown, tar-like substance.
LA County lifeguards noticed the substance, some of it forming flattened shapes nearly the size of a hand, washing in on the beaches late Wednesday morning. Officials from the county’s department of health investigated and subsequently called for beach closures.
“All we can do is is make sure people don’t play in the tar,” said LA County Lifegaurd Capt. Kenichi Haskett.
Redondo Beach City Manager Joe Hoefgen confirmed Wednesday night that Redondo’s beaches had been closed to the public as well.
“We’re in an information gathering phase,” Redondo Beach City Manager Joe Hoefgen said. “I haven’t heard of a specific source being identified as to where this is coming from.”
Hoefgen also said that he has yet to hear if the petroleum deposits have washed into King Harbor. “Nothing’s shown up at this point,” he said.
Lifeguards said no responsible party for the occurrence has thus far been identified. The United States Coast Guard, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Los Angeles County Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division, Los Angeles County Beaches & Harbors, and County of Los Angeles Public Health have collected samples and are investigating the cause, composition, and source of the unknown substance. What exactly the substance is and where it came from is expected to be determined in the next 24 hours.
The Coast Guard has contracted with Ocean Blue Environmental to clean up the substance. Lifeguards will continue to enforce the beach closure until more information is known.
