The San Diego area has seen multiple gas line leaks recently. Many homes and businesses have been evacuated because of the dangers involved when a gas line is broken. Construction sites often pose a safety threat due to the various projects going on, equipment being used, and type of work being done. In each of the reports reviewed by San Diego injury lawyers construction workers were associated to the cause of the gas line leakage. Construction workers are not necessarily at fault because gas lines are typically not marked on an exact basis but without the help of the local gas company major problems can arise.
La Mesa residents were evacuated after construction workers hit a natural gas line. They could not return to their homes for an hour. Construction workers had one gas line marked in their plans but during the course of their work they struck a second line that had not been marked. The accident took place before 1pm and crews from San Diego Gas & Electric Co. were able to clamp shut the affected gas line in order to allow the evacuated residents back into their homes by 2 o'clock.
The day before the La Mesa evacuation a natural gas line was broken in the Logan Heights neighborhood and various businesses had to be evacuated. There was no digging involved in this accident. A construction worker reported they accidentally drove their vehicle into the above-ground pipeline that was connected to a building along an alley that is between Imperial Ave. and Commercial Street. This pipeline was also 3/4 inch and the accident took place around 9 a.m. but San Diego Gas & Electric crews were able to shut off the leak a little over an hour later.
A few weeks ago residents in Clairemont were also evacuated. A contractor hired by the city dug too deeply during their road work repairs and hit the natural gas line. The contractors had been trying to remove asphalt from the road on Gros Ventre Avenue. As in the La Mesa accident, the pipe hit was a 3/4 inch service line to a house. This accident took place in the morning and crews from San Diego Gas & Electric were able to get the line clamped before lunch time was over.
Thankfully there were no reported injuries in any of these gas line leaks. Evacuation, as done by the firefighters who responded to each of the incidents above, is the first step to securing a safe environment after a natural gas leak is suspected. A fire is a major risk involved when gas is leaking so keep a safe distance and wait for officials to clear the area before returning.
Johnson Attorneys Group has been handling catastrophic injury, premise liability, and work injury cases for more than 12 years.
