Hazardous gas and odor investigation in Ventura led to evacuations and shelter-in-place orders

VENTURA, Calif. – Evacuation orders were issued for all of Bayshore Avenue south of Coral Street and Seahorse Avenue west of Seaview Avenue due to an unknown gas and odor linked to a sewer pipeline near the Pierpont neighborhood in Ventura.

As of 6 p.m. Thursday, all evacuation orders and shelter-in-place commands have been lifted in connection with this incident.

On Friday, the Ventura City Fire Department issued a press detailing that the evacuations, shelter-in-place orders, and road closures were implemented "out of an abundance of caution" as gas monitors were showing notable elevated readings.

Urban Search and Rescue Units assisted Hazardous Materials crews to ventilate a sewer line along several blocks simultaneously which successfully brought the elevated readings down to zero detailed the Ventura City Fire Department.

Around 7:20 p.m. on Thursday, emergency response personnel were called off and the incident was transferred to the Ventura Water and Environmental Protection Agency explained the Ventura City Fire Department.

According to Ventura City Fire, the area of Monmouth will continue to be an active site for the water-focused agency as they further investigate the incident.

For the latest on any incident in Ventura County, visit the VC Emergency website.

A temporary evacuation point was established in the lower parking lot of Ventura College at 4667 Telegraph Road in Ventura.

Evacuation warnings were also issued for residents along Pierpont Boulevard between Greenock Lane and Seaward Avenue, and Harbor Boulevard and a shelter-in-place order is in effect for the area west of Pierpont Boulevard, south of San Pedro Street, north of Greenock Lane.

The map below shows the borders of those now lifted evacuation orders (the purple boxes), evacuation warnings (the orange box), and shelter-in-place orders (the yellow box).

There were also multiple road closure associated with this incident and they are listed below:

• Pierpont Boulevard from Seaward Avenue to Greenock. (Pierpont Elementary Parents will be allowed through to pick up their children) 
• Peninsula Street from Seahorse to Pierpont Boulevard
• Bayshore Avenue north of Peninsula Street and south to Coral Street
• Clearview Avenue north of Peninsula Street

This is an evolving emergency response and more information will be added to this article as it becomes available.