Major Gas Leak Forces Evacuations In National City

NATIONAL CITY, CA — A construction crew accidentally cut through an underground utility line in National City Tuesday, prompting a roughly seven-hour gas leak that forced a street closure and evacuations of an elementary school, a strip mall and dozens of homes.

Workers excavating under a stretch of roadway in the 3400 block of East Eighth Street as part of a cable-laying project ruptured the 6-inch- diameter pipeline about 10:30 a.m., according to fire department officials.

The resulting heavy stream of escaping flammable vapors forced a closure of three blocks of the street and evacuations of Ira Harbison Elementary School, a nearby retail center and about 75 residences, National City Fire Department Chief of Emergency Services Frank Parra said.

A temporary shelter was established at Camacho Recreation Center in the 1800 block of East 22nd Street for those displaced by the non-injury construction accident.

San Diego Gas & Electric personnel had the leak halted as of shortly after 5:30 p.m., Parra said. Firefighters then began checking for residual gas lingering in nearby structures, drainage ditches and other spots in the neighborhood.

Evacuation orders were lifted at about 7:15 p.m. and residents were allowed to return to their homes, though the National City Police Department advised they may not have gas service in their residences due to ongoing efforts to repair the leak.

— City News Service