Local News in Brief : Severed Gas Line Empties Campus

More than 1,000 students, faculty and staff were evacuated from the Glendale Community College campus Tuesday after a 3-inch natural gas line was severed by construction crews.

An equipment operator ran into the line with a loader about 2:45 p.m., construction company officials said. The construction crew had been grading land for a patio outside the college’s administration building, Glendale Fire Department officials said.

Fire officials coordinated the evacuation and planned to block campus entrances through the night to keep out more than 2,000 students expected to arrive for evening classes.

Southern California Gas Co. officials said they expected to work through the night to pinch off the gas line, which is about 6 feet under ground.

Fire Department officials saturated the area around the leak with a water solution throughout the afternoon to lessen the likelihood of combustion.