700 barrels of oil spilled from pipeline near Ventura, Calif.

VENTURA, Calif., June 23 (UPI) -- Firefighters and other emergency personnel were faced with a major environmental hazard in Southern California on Thursday after a pipeline broke and began leaking hundreds of barrels of crude oil, authorities said.

Initially, officials said as many as 5,000 barrels of crude may have spilled in the Ventura area -- located about 65 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Later, though, that estimate was reduced to 700 barrels, which is equal to nearly 30,000 gallons.

Fire officials and the U.S. Coast Guard said the spill was first reported around 5:30 a.m. local time Thursday from a platform in Ventura County, about a mile from San Buenaventura State Beach.

#GroveInc. Clean up teams are working in area pic.twitter.com/3iZ4FsgJrZ

— Capt Mike Lindbery (@VCFD_PIO) June 23, 2016

Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Mike Lindbery tweeted Thursday that crews were able to stem the flow of oil and were beginning cleanup procedures by the afternoon.

No residents were evacuated due to the spill and Lindbery said officials were monitoring air quality.

Each barrel contains about 42 gallons of crude oil. The cause of the leak was not immediately identified.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and the Oxnard Fire Department are also assisting in the cleanup, officials said.

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