LOCAL : Gas Leak Forces Evacuation of Orange County Juvenile Court
A gas leak this morning forced the evacuation of about 500 people from a building that houses the Orange County Juvenile Court and Probation Department, authorities said.
The evacuation began around 9 a.m. after a backhoe accidentally ripped through a 2-inch natural gas main outside the Manchester office building in the 300 block of The City Drive in Orange. About 200 probationers and juvenile offenders were among those who were told to leave the five-story building, a Juvenile Court spokeswoman said.
Police blocked off Dawn Way to prevent motorists from entering the building’s parking lot.
Fearing that a small spark could ignite an explosion, fire officials told employees and visitors that they had to leave their vehicles in the parking lot until the gas dissipated.
A fire official said employees will be allowed to return to the building this afternoon.
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