San Diego police are investigating a gas line break underneath a three-story apartment building that happened in Chollas Creek Sunday night.
Investigators say someone may have intentionally tampered with the two-inch line, which is located in the building's garage.
The Trolley Park Terrace Apartments on Market Street were evacuated around 7:30 p.m. for about 30 minutes.
The glass over the meter was broken and the pipes were leaning against the wall, investigators said.
Faye, a resident of the building, was shocked that someone could tamper with the gas meter.
"How did they even get to it? It should be in a casing enclosed around it with a big lock on where they couldn't even get to it if that's the case," she said to NBC 7.
One resident had just gotten home when she saw the meter and smelled the gas.
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"My sister had just brought me home from church, and I heard this noise, and I seen it [and] bent over up against a wall and I heard that noise," Yvonne, who lives in the building, explained. "I'm like 'Oh my God, what's going on?' So I got out and I smelt the gas, and I was like 'Oh goodnight nurse' and then I heard 'Get out!' and out the door I went."
There were no reported injuries.
San Diego Gas and Electric crews were able to turn the gas off quickly.
Police are checking for surveillance footage of the possible vandalism.
The area was closed to traffic during the evacuation. MTS also temporarily shut down trolley service between 47th and Euclid.
