Roundup: Gas leak at Newbury Park CVS, island rescue, more news

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:

Gas leak brings response to Newbury Park CVS

THOUSAND OAKS — Ventura County Fire Department crews responded to a gas leak at a CVS pharmacy in Newbury Park late Saturday morning.

The incident was reported shortly before 11:40 a.m. at 2120 Newbury Road, near the intersection with Borchard Road. The site is in a shopping center south of Highway 101. A hazmat team was also summoned to investigate, with gas to the business shut down.

Firefighters had requested two ambulances, initially saying up to six people may have been affected. All patients ultimately declined medical treatment beyond what was provided at the scene, according to radio traffic.

Coast Guard rescues boaters from island area

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND — A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted two sailboaters who ran aground near Santa Cruz Island during a rescue on Thanksgiving Day.

At around 10 a.m., a distress signal from LULA, a sailing vessel, was activated. Through radio calls, Coast Guard personnel learned the boat had run aground near the island with two people aboard. The sailors had abandoned the LULA on the rocks and left it adrift, authorities said.

Coast Guard officials launched a helicopter from the Point Mugu forward operating base and dispatched a 45-foot response boat from the Channel Islands station.

Once on scene, crews determined a helicopter rescue was best due to unsafe conditions on the rocks. The mariners were hoisted safely from the island and flown to the Point Mugu base.

Structure fire doused in Camarillo

CAMARILLO — Ventura County Fire Department crews tackled a structure fire at a commercial building in Camarillo Friday morning.

The blaze was reported around 5:25 a.m. in the 400 block of Calle San Pablo. The block is in a commercial enclave at the northwest corner of Pleasant Valley and Lewis roads.

The fire was kept in check by a sprinkler system in the building, officials said. Firefighters used large fans to clear cold smoke from the business. Crews were on scene for nearly 2 ⅟₂ hours. No injuries were reported.

Avian flu arrives

VENTURA COUNTY — Two owls have recently tested positive for avian flu, marking the first cases among wild birds detected in Ventura County, authorities said.

Cases involving a great horned owl in Thousand Oaks and one in Oxnard were recently confirmed by Ventura County Public Health officials, the agency said this week.

Other sick and dead wild birds found in the county are under investigation. All of the cases are part of an ongoing nationwide outbreak of the avian flu, also known as “highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1,” which started in the U.S. in early 2022. Some 49 million wild birds and poultry have been affected, public health officials said.

The disease is highly contagious for birds and can sicken and sometimes kill backyard flocks, including chickens, ducks and turkeys. The virus spreads through direct contact among birds and indirectly through clothing, footwear, vehicles, rodents, insects, food, water and other sources.

Waterfowl, raptors and some shorebirds are among the highest risk along with domestic poultry. Wild birds may have no symptoms or show neurological issues, respiratory distress or sudden death. Domestic birds may have swelling in the eyes and head, diarrhea, weakness, respiratory distress and loss of appetite.

Authorities advise against handling sick or injured birds and reporting an unusual number of such birds to the Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-2473.

Information and guidance on avian influenza, including for backyard flocks and commercial operations, is available at the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s website at cdfa.ca.gov under the “animal health” link.

For the general public, the risk of contracting the disease is currently low, officials said.

Authorities check on sex offenders around Ojai

OJAI — Ventura County Sheriff’s officials conducted a compliance sweep this month for 37 registered sex offenders living in Ojai and surrounding unincorporated areas.

Authorities confirmed 27 registrants were in compliance with required terms during the Nov. 19 check. The other 10 were either not home or had moved. Detectives will follow up to determine the status of the remaining 10.

Sheriff’s detectives carry out similar sweeps around the county on an ongoing basis.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Gas leak at Newbury Park CVS, island rescue, more local news