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HAMMOND — Indianapolis Boulevard continued to be blocked Saturday afternoon between 167th and 165th streets as environmental investigators sought the source of an oily smell and crews installed shutoffs on each side of a water main break.

The water main break, near the site of a massive fuel pipeline rupture 21 years ago, was spotted about 9 a.m. Saturday.

"Folks out here are trying to contain this as quickly as possible, that's what's going on here right now," said Hammond Environmental Department Director Ron Novak at about 11 a.m. Saturday.

No evacuations were necessary and nearby businesses continued to operate.

It appears that section of Indianapolis Boulevard will be closed for an indeterminate amount of time as repairs are made and the site is investigated, said Hammond Police Lt. Richard Hoyda in the late afternoon.

The 1996 leak from a BP fuel pipeline spilled at least 52,000 gallons of refined petroleum into the sandy soil and potentially explosive vapors into the city's sewers, according to an article in The Times. The cleanup took months. About 11 years later, more petroleum was discovered from the 1996 fuel line break and another cleanup operation was undertaken. Indianapolis Boulevard was closed both times.