Crime & Safety

Gas Leak Causes Evacuation of 20 Units on Shoreline Blvd

A Recology truck accidentally strikes natural gas meter at the Mountain Shadows apartment complex.

A strong odor of gas filled the air in the 700 block of N. Shoreline Boulveard Wednesday afternoon after a garbage truck stuck a natural gas meter, fire officials reported.

Residents of twenty apartment units had to be evacuated for safety, according Mountain View Fire Department spokeswoman Jaime Garrett. Police shut down southbound traffic on nearby Shoreline Boulevard.

"This is a first-alarm assignment because of what could happen should the line ignite. We take it very seriously," Garrett said. "The San Bruno explosion brought a lot more awareness to people of how dangerous gas lines can be."

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Around 12:45 p.m., a Recology garbage truck on routine duty hit a gas riser located on the exterior of one of the garages at the intersection of Comstock Queen and Sutter Creek. This is the second time a gas meter has been struck at this apartment complex.

According to Garrett, the gas—which dissipated into the air—could cause a headache, "is probably the most common symptom."

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Engine No. 1 firefighter Paul Willett explained to Patch that in situations like this it's most dangerous if the gas concentrated in a room. The right gas to air ratio could cause an explosion, he explained.

There is still a need for caution, however, because the gas—which had mostly escaped outside—could still ignite if it came in contact with a flame. But the result would be more like fireworks, he added.

Pacific Gas & Electric arrived around 1:15 p.m and by 1:27 p.m. had crimped the gas line.

Utility company spokeswoman Monica Tell said gas service to the home where the accident occurred had been disrupted but should be restored later this afternoon.

The MVFD remained on the scene a few minutes longer to ensure there were no gas leaks or concentrations of gas, according to Battalion Chief Richard Alameda.

The Recology driver and supervisor both suggest to residents not to place their garbage bins near natural gas meters.

Additional reporting by Bay City News

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