New Infrared Footage Shows Methane Spewing From Porter Ranch Gas Leak

PORTER RANCH (CBSLA.com) — A new online video has captured footage of potentially hazardous methane gases escaping from a natural gas leak in the San Fernando Valley.

Aerial footage posted on YouTube by the Environmental Defense Fund showed a giant methane plume spewing out from the Southern California Gas Company storage facility in Aliso Canyon.

The description for the video says the methane plumes were made visible by a "specialized infrared camera operated by an Earthworks ITC-certified thermographer."

CBS News has confirmed the footage is real.

Earlier Monday, SoCal Gas Co. spokeswoman Anne Silva told the Los Angeles Times crews had pinpointed the location of the leak that has displaced thousands of residents in Porter Ranch.

Silva said crews discovered the site of the target around midnight on Saturday while using a magnetic ranging tool.

The leak was discovered around a depth of 3,800 feet within a "7-inch diameter steel pipeline that allows natural gas to be put into a naturally occurring underground storage field," according to Silva.

The natural gas leak was located on Oct. 23. The county was notified five days later.

Since then, thousands of residents have been relocated from their homes after experiencing symptoms including headaches, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.

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