Pipe Rupture Sends Oil Spewing Down the Streets in L.A.

An early-morning pipe rupture in Los Angeles County sent 50,000 gallons of oil gushing into city streets Thursday.

The oil was reportedly knee-deep in some parts of Atwater Village in northeast L.A.

"Now estimated to be over 50,000 gal of crude oil spilled over approx 1/2 mile area," the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert. "Oil is knee-high in some areas."

Crude oil runs down street uncontained heading towards more businesses in Atwater Village. pic.twitter.com/fObzwdrvlO

— Newsreel TV (@newsreeltv) May 15, 2014

Oil reportedly knee-deep on some streets after pipe leaks in L.A. suburb of Atwater Village: https://t.co/Uu9M5nylIc pic.twitter.com/wQIB1IwMvN

— Yahoo (@Yahoo) May 15, 2014

Crews had cleaned up most of the oil by 6 a.m. Thursday, but the rupture is just one more dangerous element in the drought-fueled wildfire "Armageddon" facing Southern California.

Firefighters spray water on a burning commercial structure at the Poinsettia fire, one of nine wildfires fueled by wind and record temperatures that erupted in San Diego County throughout the day on May 14, 2014 in Carlsbad, Calif. (Getty Images/David McNew)

Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency late Wednesday in response to the multiple wildfires sweeping through San Diego.

The state has been on high alert for wildfire danger as the worst drought in 100 years has left much of the Golden State dry and susceptible to blazes.