Part of Pensacola Beach Shoreline Shut to Tourists Thursday

A quarter-mile of shoreline in Pensacola Beach was closed Thursday due to attempts to remove oil that has washed up on the shore, the media are reporting.

Workers were attempting to remove oil from the sand of Casino Beach for part of the day. They had to rope off a section from 300 feet west of the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier to 900 feet east of it, and from the water to the lifeguard tower, the Pensacola News-Journal is reporting . Until now, the most severe restriction on Florida beaches has been swimming advisories. A heavy assault of tar mats and other oil products washed up in Escambia County Wednesday, and the crew was still busy cleaning it up.