Southern California

Gas Leak Impacts 3,000 in Orange County

The affected area runs from 23rd Street to the Wedge on the Balboa Peninsula

Gas to some 3,000 homes and businesses in Newport Beach was expected to be shut off at least through the weekend as as crews repair a damaged line.

Gas service was stopped in a portion of the Balboa Peninsula early Friday in order to repair a natural gas line, officials with Souther California Gas said.

The affected area runs from 23rd Street to the Wedge.

The gas line was damaged near 1900 West Oceanfront on Thursday afternoon by work crews trucking sand to the beach, SoCalGas said.

Newport Beach resident Steve Hayes said when the line was damaged, he could smell the gas leak half a mile away. No injuries were reported. 

The company will turn the gas back on after the line is repaired, a process that SoCalGas said would take a few days because crews must restore service at each home or business.

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In order to turn the gas back on, SoCalGas said it needs to shut off the meter at each home or business, allow gas to flow back into the pipeline, turn each meter back on and relight pilot lights and perform an appliance safety check at each home or business.

People who are not home won't get their gas turned back on immediately.

"We're being told that we need to be here for several possible days," Hayes said. "I'm worried given the number of homes that it may even be beyond the weekend."

SoCalGas has set up information booths for residents at the corner of 20th Street and Oceanfront.

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