Gas Main Rupture Forces Evacuation
Construction equipment ruptured a high-pressure natural gas main beneath a busy intersection east of downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, forcing several dozen people out of homes and offices and clogging traffic, authorities said.
Crews working for a private company were installing fiber optic communications lines under the intersection of 1st and Mission streets when the rupture occurred shortly after 10 a.m., said Dick Friend, spokesman for Southern California Gas Co.
Natural gas spewed with a high-pitched whistle from the 16-inch main until about 12:30 p.m., when crews were able to close the valve controlling gas flow to the damaged section of pipe.
As the work continued, people in four residential and commercial buildings at the corners of the intersection were ordered to leave.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
