Methane Gas Forces Yorba Park Closure
City officials closed Yorba Park on Friday after routine testing showed a leak of low levels of methane gas.
The park, on Chapman Avenue at the Costa Mesa Freeway, was built on top of a landfill and has long given the city headaches.
Officials said they do not believe the gas leak poses a hazard, but they decided to close the park temporarily until a more thorough analysis is completed by the Orange County Health Department.
Methane is a colorless and odorless but flammable gas formed by decaying plant matter.
Irma Hernandez, an assistant to the city manager, said this was a good time to try to resolve some of the park problems since none of the local sports teams are using it on a regular basis.
The results of further testing should be available in about two weeks, she said.
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