A gas leak along Mission Boulevard was capped early Thursday after spewing natural gas into a Mission Beach neighborhood for more than half a day, forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents and cutting power to hundreds.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said the three-quarter-inch gas line was broken by a construction crew near Yarmouth Court and Strandway Alley, on the west side of Mission Boulevard, just after 11:30 a.m.
Crews cleared residents and beachgoers from a swath of the Mission Beach peninsula Wednesday afternoon as pockets of gas accumulated both above ground and underground, posing an explosion threat, according to SDFD Battalion Chief Newell.
“We’re very fortunate today there’s a good breeze coming from the ocean helping to dissipate the gas. It’s also very warm out and that’s helping the gas rise into the atmosphere," Newell said.
An evacuation zone affecting about 160 homes was set for the area south of Zanzibar Court, east of Ocean Front Walk, west of Mission Boulevard, and north of Venice Court.
By 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, nearly 24 hours after the gas line was ruptured, the evacuation orders were lifted and crews were going door-to-door to relight pilot lights for all residents affected, according to San Diego Gas & Electric.
At least 100 utility workers were at the scene overnight working to pinch the line. At one point, the utility company said about 1,000 residences could be without gas service as they worked on repairs overnight. The estimate was lowered to about 160 homes hours before service was restored.
The utility company brought in compressed natural gas trailers to maintain pressure, which allowed them to minimize the number of residents impacted while repairs were being made to the damaged line.
At one point, power was cut to nearly 400 utility customers to ensure the safety of the repair crews working to cap the leak.
The gas leak was finally capped at 1:30 a.m. and power was restored by about 4:30 a.m., SDG&E said.
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The next step would be to purge out all of the gas and develop a repair and restoration plan. Newell said crews also had to ensure the line didn't become overpressurized once it's capped.
The San Diego Police Department said Red Cross assistance was requested for up to 150 evacuees.
An evacuation shelter was set up at the Pacific Beach Recreation Center at 1405 Diamond Street. Services provided include shelter, food, hydration, comfort kits with personal hygiene items, emotional support and health services.
San Diego County Humane Society staff was sent to assist residents with their pets.
Mission Boulevard is closed to traffic from Pacific Beach Drive to San Rafael Place. Follow live traffic updates here.
Confirming where gas lines are present prior to any type of construction work is required by a state law that went into effect in 2019. It was not clear if anyone would be cited for Wednesday's leak.
SDG&E said an investigation would be launched into the cause of the leak but their first focus was getting the damage repaired and residents back in their homes.
No other information was available.
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