LEMON GROVE–Construction crews Wednesday using an excavator to dig a trench severed a two inch natural gas line which forced evacuations of nearby residents in Lemon Grove.
At 9:20 a.m., Heartland Fire and Rescue crews were dispatched to a report of a natural gas line break in the 7700 Block of North Avenue.
Fire crews immediately notified the Metropolitan Transit System to stop trolley service due to the close proximity of the trolley line, and to reduce the risk of an ignition source for the natural gas. They cleared the area of construction workers, and residents in the adjacent apartment complex were notified to shelter in place until the gas leak was controlled.
San Diego Gas and Electric had shut off the broken gas line. Once the leak was under control, the Metropolitan Transit System resumed normal operations.
