Scene Clear After Small Gas Leak Downtown

By Bay City News Service

A construction crew hit a half-inch plastic gas line that serves residential customers in downtown San Mateo Wednesday morning, a PG&E spokesman
said.

Spokesman Jason King said a non-PG&E crew hit the line around 10:15 a.m. in the 200 block of South B Street in the city's downtown corridor.

PG&E crews arrived on scene at 10:32 a.m., and the flow of gas was stopped at 10:45 a.m. King said that he didn't think there were any evacuations and if there were, they were brief.

The restaurant at that location doesn't open until 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, and King estimated gas service would be restored at 12:30 p.m.

King said the construction crew called 811 before beginning the work. The 811 number is a notification system that customers or construction workers may call to have PG&E come to a location to identify and mark utility
lines to avoid risks to property or health.

A crew member did call the number, but indicated there would only be hand-digging during the project -- instead, the crew used an excavator, which ruptured the gas line, King said.

"We ask that customers call 811 on any large or small digging projects -- if the line is on the pavement, we will mark it with tape, or if it's in the turf we'll use a flag," he said.

San Mateo police said on their Twitter page around 11 a.m., "Unified command of SMPD SMFD and PG&E have swiftly and safely handled the gas leak - Situation is clearing now."

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.