Santa Ana : 200 Evacuated Briefly When Gas Line Is Cut

A work crew accidentally severed a three-inch natural gas pipeline Thursday morning, prompting the evacuation of 200 people from businesses near the intersection of Segerstrom Avenue and Harbor Boulevard, police said.

Santa Ana police spokeswoman Maureen Thomas said no injuries were reported in the 10:20 a.m. incident. She said a work crew digging near the intersection accidentally hit the gas line.

Because the gas was potentially explosive, the employees were not allowed to return to offices until two hours later, when Southern California Gas Co. workers capped the ruptured line.

Thomas also said 25 firefighters and a squad from the Santa Ana Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team conducted the evacuation and oversaw the repair of the gas line.