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Porter Ranch Residents Report Uptick In Health Problems After New Gas Leak

PORTER RANCH (CBSLA) — News of an "unplanned leak" at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility was confirmation to many Porter Ranch residents, who reported experiencing headaches, nosebleeds, and other symptoms Monday.

The leak happened just before 5 p.m. Monday, and was reported to the community the same night. According to Southern California Gas Co., the leak didn't pose any health risks, but it did produce a noticeable odor.

The leak was shut off within about 50 minutes and residents were notified about 7:40 p.m., according to the utility's alert.

The facility is the site of the largest methane leak in U.S. history. Starting in 2015, a ruptured well spewed tens of thousands of tons of gas, forcing roughly 8,000 families in the northwest San Fernando Valley from their homes. Many complained of health issues that included cancer, nausea and nosebleeds.

The persistence of health problems prompted one Northridge resident to develop a smartphone application for residents in the affected area to report health issues. After Monday's leak, developer Andrew Krowne told the Los Angeles Times there was an uptick in symptoms -- 34 people reported experiencing headaches, nosebleeds, and burning of the eyes and throat to his app.

Since the app launched in October, more than 150 users have reported 2,200 symptoms, he said.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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