Sewage Spill From Cannery Row Restaurant Closes Beach

The Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau closed a centrally located beach Thursday morning due to a sewage spill from a Cannery Row restaurant.

The bureau closed access to MacAbee Beach around 10:35 a.m., after the Monterey Fire Department reported a sewage spill coming from El Torito Mexican Restaurant, located at 600 Cannery Row, according to the county officials.

The restaurant sits adjacent to the beach and right on the water’s edge. The fire department learned of the spill sometime between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. when a person passing through the area called to report sewage spilling into the ocean, according to Monterey Fire Captain Barry Perkins.

The amount of sewage released into the Monterey Bay was unknown Thursday, Supervising Environmental Health Specialist with Monterey County Marni Flagg said.

So far, there have been no reports of any injuries or illnesses as a result of the spill, according to Flagg. The beach will remain closed until samples show that the water is safe for contact according to state guidelines, county officials said.

A person who answered the phone at the restaurant said they had no comment. A representative for the Cypress, California-based company Real Mex Restaurants, which operates El Torito, was not available.

--Bay City News/Photo Tanis Gomez