Fashion Valley Mall Reopens After Gas Leak San Diego

Land Route 163 has reopened to traffic as utility crews work to repair a ruptured gas line that caused a large leak and prompted the evacuation of more than a thousand homes in Mission Valley Wednesday.

An estimated 3,300 people in nearby homes and businesses had to be evacuated, and a forced closure of State Route 163 added hours to evening commuters' trips.

Traffic was at a stand withal in many parts of Mission Valley as people evacuated and roads were shut down.

Joe Britton of San Diego Gas and Electrical (SDG&E) said that an underground 20-inch gas line was ruptured past 3rd-political party contracted crews working in the surface area along Friars Road and Ulric Street, near the off and on ramps to SR-163 at around eleven a.yard.

SDG&Eastward close off feeding valves to the line but waited hours for gas that remained in the pressurized line to bleed out.

News chopper video of the gas leak at Friars Route and Ulric Street in Mission Valley on March seven, 2018.

"Once there is zero pressure on the line, our teams will be able to go in and admission the damage and make a determination on any repairs that are needed," Britton said.

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Britton said a horizontal-drilling auger damaged the line, and information technology remained lodged in the punctured line restricting the flow of exiting gas.

"They should know where the gas lines are. We certainly make that information bachelor," Britton said.

At around half-dozen:40 p.one thousand., officials said the remaining gas in the line had bled out completely and crews had begun repairs.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, some customers in the area were still without gas service while crews continued to repair the line. No time approximate was given for restoration.

Britton said lxxx businesses were affected near Fashion Valley Mall. Most of them were restaurants.

The gas leak was affecting thousands of San Diegans trying to make their fashion home from work.

One of the metropolis's major freeways, SR-163 was shut downward and didn't reopen until around 8 p.m. SDG&E said overnight repairs shouldn't touch the morning commute.

Raw video shot past NBC 7 of the gas spewing from the cleaved line in Mission Valley on March 7, 2018.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) issued evacuation orders for some residents in the area at one:56 p.m., using the Reverse 911 voicemail system, according to the San Diego Canton Office of Emergency Services.

Those evacuation orders were as well lifted at around 8 p.m.

SDFD Fire Chief Mike McBride said that the contrary 911 alarm went out to residents in a 2-mile radius in fault. It was meant only for those within a half mile radius including:

David Street and Ulric Street Eastbound to Mission Valley Road and Mission Center Road
Southbound to Mission Heart and Camino De La Reina
Westbound to include the Northwest side of Fashion Valley Mall Entrance

Those who received a reverse 911 call just live across the evacuation zone were told they may shelter in place.

"We initially evacuated a pocket-sized area, trying to reduce the impact to the city and the community effectually u.s.a. and realized quickly the potential problem here was much greater," Master McBride said. "And so we expanded our evacuation zone to take that into account."

The reverse 911 alert stated:

"There is a gas leak in the expanse of Ulric and Friars Road. Emergency responders are addressing the situation. The following routes are airtight: northbound and southbound 163, from I-8 to Genesee, besides as eastbound and westbound Friars Road from Style Valley Road to Frazee. Area residents tin respond to temporary evacuation points. If you need emergency aid in evacuating, call 911."

McBride said that a chief safety business organization was shutting off the power lines running above the blow.

The depressurizing line was kicking upwards clouds of dust, causing a potential for an electric arc from the power lines higher up to ignite the plumage of gas beneath which could have fix off a devastating explosion.

Britton said that he did not believe the de-energizing of the power lines in the vicinity was impacting customers.

A request for temporary flight restrictions over the area was requested, McBride said.

The potent smell of gas permeated the air, so businesses close to both sides of the freeway were evacuated and closed down, co-ordinate to SDFD.

The SDPD said impacted residents could evacuate to a temporary emergency point located at 5905 Friars Rd.

As of 3 p.m., Jose Ysea, a spokesperson with the city of San Diego confirmed that 3,300 people had been evacuated in the area, including 1,100 homes.

The county of San Diego released this map of the evacuation zone Wednesday afternoon.

NBC vii news crews watched as the Mission Valley Take chances Center and the Doubletree Hotel were evacuated due to the gas leak. Businesses near Way Valley Mall were also evacuated, including the P.F. Chang's eating house and The Container Store.

A Denny'due south restaurant and gas station at Frazee and Friars roads were also among the evacuated businesses, likewise every bit the Dokken Engineering building, also on Frazee Road. The Mission Valley YMCA was closed, as well as a nearby Wells Fargo Depository financial institution and stores like Cipher Bundt Cakes.

As of ten:xxx p.m., the Hazard Center and Mission Center off Friar's Road were still closed, including Einstein's Bagels, Jamba Juice, BevMo, CVS and several other stores.

Closures in Fashion Valley Mall were also yet in upshot.

Mike Cheat, a computer engineer with UC San Diego, told NBC 7 his workplace was evacuated. Crooks said a police force officer came to the part, told employees about the gas leak and told them to leave for the day.

Crook said he couldn't smell the gas from his office, and so news of the leak was surprising. He grabbed his bicycle and heeded the officeholder's warning.

"Information technology's time to go," Crook added.

Barbara Burgamy and Marsha Nesbitt, of Santee, were on their way to meet a movie at Mission Valley Gamble Eye when they got stuck in the heavy traffic stemming from the gas leak.

They saturday in their automobile, wondering what was going on, as motorists were directed to become around and abroad from the area.

"Information technology's a work in progress on our patience," said Burgamy.

Wright said the area of Manner Valley Mall closest to the incident was evacuated but non all stores because SDG&Due east's readings of the area showed no threat to the public.

"Where there are no readings, in that location is a safety zone, that they will let the mall function in the part that's non affected," Wright said.

Constabulary officers were called to help with traffic control on Friars Road.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said the SR-163 ramps in the expanse would be temporarily shut down to traffic due to the leak. A brusk time later, a traffic alert was issued at the southbound SR-163 ramps at Friars Road.

The CHP said officers also close downwardly the on-ramp to southbound SR-163 at Genesee Avenue, as well every bit the ramp to southbound SR-163 at southbound Interstate 805.

Images: Mission Valley Gas Leak

SDG&Due east spokesperson Helen Gao said an emergency SDG&E control crew was at the scene working to mitigate the leak. She estimated repairs would have at least iv hours. The company is looking into the historic period of the gas line and other details, Gao said.

At around one:15 p.m., Caltrans announced that drivers should look "heavy congestion" on the freeways through the afternoon commute equally crews go on emergency repairs on the gas line. Caltrans besides said commuters should expect delays on surface streets effectually the Mission Valley surface area.

No injuries have been reported. No other information was available.