Gas Leak Repaired After Closing of 60 Freeway

A natural gas leak that closed a major freeway for nearly 10 hours and forced the evacuation of about 5,000 residents near UC Riverside was repaired about 2 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.

No one was hurt, but about 150 people slept at an evacuation center set up near the affected area, said Riverside police spokesman Felix Medina.

The leak occurred about 4:30 p.m. Monday when a construction worker broke a piece of the line with a backhoe, Southern California Gas officials said. Because the highly pressurized, 12-inch steel line could not be shut down instantly, residents were forced to leave the area and a five-mile stretch of the 60 Freeway was closed for about 10 hours.

The Federal Aviation Administration also declared the area restricted airspace, said Peter Hidalgo, spokesman for Southern California Gas.

“While accidentally striking a gas line occurs about 16 times a day in the Southern California region we serve, the incident that occurred [Monday] was highly unusual because it was such a large line,” Hidalgo said. “Amazingly, during this whole process no one was without their hot water or access to their heater or stove.”

Southern California Gas workers were busy Tuesday repairing the line, Hidalgo said. Work on the line was expected to last until early Wednesday morning. Gas to homes was being routed through other lines.

Hidalgo called the evacuations “appropriate,” but said the chance of an explosion was minimal Monday because the leak was outdoors.