NBC 7’s Elena Gomez reports from Oceanside where a late night fuel theft caused a hazmat cleanup.
Thieves stealing hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel from an Oceanside business were caught in the act and fled, spilling fuel and creating a hazardous material mess.
Two men were spotted siphoning the fuel from one of the tanks at the Superior Concrete Company at 3227 Oceanside Boulevard at approximately 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The company’s security guard called Oceanside police who say the suspects were running on foot once they got on scene.
In the process, a valve on the 10,000 gallon fuel tank was left open spilling fuel in and around the suspects’ car.
Oceanside searched the area on foot and using the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department helicopter but made no arrests.
Officials say 600 gallons of fuel was siphoned. The suspects’ vehicle was determined to have been stolen out of Whittier last month.
Over the last two days, this business had suffered similar diesel fuel thefts, police said.
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Hazardous material crews and Oceanside firefighters were called in to help clean up the fuel spill overnight.
Officials say there was no contamination to the nearby Loma Alta Creek.
