Crews begin long process of cleaning up oil from spill

Newsom proclaims state of emergency in Orange County - CBS' Kara Finstrom reports

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif (CBS News/KCBS) - Crews in Southern California are working to clean up thousands of gallons of oil that leaked from a pipeline into the Pacific Ocean this weekend.

The oil coated wildlife habitats and shut down numerous beaches. The beaches could remain closed for weeks. Coastal fisheries in the area are closed to commercial and recreational fishing. Residents say it's a real mess.

"Little brown floating things about the size of a baseball … but there was like a ton of them, said Huntington Beach resident Jake Gnarly.

Gnarly says the slick grew quickly. Authorities now believe more than 127-thousand gallons of crude oil surged into the ocean.

"As the huge chunks came out.. we all knew it was oil.. it started splashing in the boats as the boats were tied up and hitting each other. It was all over my feet and everything." says Gnarly.

He cleaned off with soapy detergent, but adds the boats were trashed. Beaches throughout Orange County quickly closed, with the oil expected to travel as far south as mexico. Amplify energy operates the ruptured pipeline. On monday, it’s ceo said the leak may have been caused by a ship anchor dropped in the wrong spot …

“We have examined more than eight thousand feet of pipe and isolated one specific area of interest," says Martyn Willsher, the CEO of Amplify Energy.

Locals first reported smelling and seeing the sheen Friday and are questioning why it took so long for the company and authorities to recognize the spill and react.

Many fear the ecologic toll. So far four injured birds have been rescued and one was euthanized. Local officials also say dead birds and fish have washed up along the shore and they’re particularly worried about the impact on nearby marsh areas.