Construction crews sever gas line at San Andres and Anapamu during road repairs
This article was updated with more information and quotes from authorities and surrounding residents. The original coverage can be found at the bottom of the page.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – It was a noisy Tuesday morning for one neighborhood on Santa Barbara's Westside.
"I tried to do my morning rounds and I saw them going door-to-door and they were telling everybody to shut your windows. We just hit a gas line," said resident and manager Richard Mattson of Palm Garden Apartments.
Crews severed a gas line while doing street repairs on San Andres near Anapamu.
Residents within one block of the leak were told to shelter in place.
"We got a call that the main gas line got hit. some of the surrounding residence made the decision to evacuate... some sheltered in place," said fire captain Ashlan Alldredge of the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
“So they hit it, broke it, and the gas company had to come in and dig a hole to find it in another place," said fire engineer Jack Franklin of the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
Mattson was grateful that fire and utility crews were quick to take care of the gas leak.
"I got all my art work up there and all my residents around and I’m like 'uh oh! Oh boy are we not going to have gas service,'" said Mattson.
According to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department, four residents from the nearby apartment building were temporarily displaced.
"We made sure we had our hose lines out in case there was a spark ignited to clear everybody out of the way," said Franklin.
The shelter in place order was lifted Tuesday afternoon.
Orignial Article:
Construction crews working at the intersection of San Andres Street and Anapamu Street severed a gas line and residents within one block of the leak were asked to shelter in place until the leak was secured.
Your News Channel confirmed that the shelter-in-place response for nearby residents was lifted Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department, four residents from the nearby apartment building have been displaced by the leak and all involved residents within the one-block area were contacted by fire personnel.
Workers with the utility company secured the leak but the streets remain closed for the street repairs in the area detailed the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
This is an ongoing response and more information will be added to this article as it becomes available.
