A massive gas pipeline burst in the California valley on Saturday evening, forcing residents to stay in place and shutting down a major highway during the busy holiday travel weekend.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department first received reports of the leak on Old Ridge Route in Castaic just after 4:20pm PST and issued a shelter-in-place order affecting around 14,000 residents.
Video footage of the gas leak showed a billowing smoke cloud and what appeared to be land movement caused by the burst.
The rupture raised fears that a landslide or storm-related soil issue caused the gas leak. However, LA Fire officials later said they believe the rupture occurred due to extreme pressure on the pipe, and are still investigating the cause.
LAFD Captain Brian Knight told local ABC affiliate, KABC, that authorities had ruled out a landslide and any rumbling locals felt was due to the pressure from the leak.
‘We are closely monitoring a gas leak which occurred in Castaic, Los Angeles County. Some Angelenos may smell the odor of natural gas in the air,’ Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced.
‘LAFD and L.A. County report that this is not harmful and poses no immediate danger to City residents.’
Bass added that LAFD Hazardous Materials personnel were monitoring air quality in the impacted areas.
Residents in the California valley were forced to shelter in place on Saturday evening after a gas pipeline ruptured
Residents reported a rotten egg smell and were concerned a landslide had caused the leak
The California Highway Patrol closed all lanes of a major highway for several hours as authorities worked to contain the leak
The rotten-egg smell was even reported miles away from the leak. Authorities said it was normal for gas odors to travel depending on weather conditions, and said it may linger in the area for some time before dissipating.
Just after 5pm PST, the California Highway Patrol closed all lanes of a major highway, diverting traffic and leaving some at a standstill for hours.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Office advised residents to stay inside, close all doors, windows, and vents, and shut off HVAC systems.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office wrote on social media that he had been briefed on the pipeline rupture.
The governor’s Office of Emergency Services warned residents of Castaic to listen to local authorities as the situation was ‘very dynamic.’
The freeway stayed closed for hours as SoCalGas crews worked to isolate the damaged section of the pipeline and stop the leak.
The sheriff’s office announced at 9:15pm PST that the cause of the break had not yet been determined, but there was no risk to the public.
The shelter-in-place order was lifted at 9:45pm PST for all areas. The California Highway Patrol reopened nearby freeways around 9pm PST.
Even though the gas leak didn’t pose a danger to the public, it was a major inconvenience for those traveling on a busy holiday weekend.
Residents were told to stay inside, close all doors, windows, and vents, and shut off HVAC systems amid the leak
Some travelers were forced to wait for hours for CHP to reopen the highways
Authorities stressed that there wasn’t a danger to the public and reopened the highway around 9pm PST
The Los Angeles Times reported that travelers were forced to use water bottles and cups to relieve themselves while they waited for the alert to lift.
Other residents were left waiting in fear for answers, with some telling the local Los Angeles outlet KTLA that their houses shook from the rupture.
Nick Steese, a resident of the California valley, told local news outlet The Signal that his eyes burned from the gas.
‘We were holding our breath to keep from smelling it,’ he added.
