WESTLAKE VILLAGE : Gas Line Rupture Forces Evacuation of Condominiums
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About a dozen residents of a Westlake Village condominium complex were evacuated for 90 minutes Thursday morning when workers drilling for soil samples ruptured a natural gas line, authorities said.
Firefighters rousted residents from 16 condominiums in the 400 block of Via Colinas after the leak was reported at 9:30 a.m., said Capt. Wayne Michael of the Ventura County Fire Department.
The leak occurred when a crew from Valley Well Drilling was extracting soil samples by drilling beneath Via Colinas, and accidentally punctured a two-inch gas main, said Marty de los Cobos of Southern California Gas Co.
“In an open area like that, with no nearby source of ignition, natural gas presents no great problem,” said de los Cobos. Natural gas must be present in concentrations of between 5% and 15% before it can ignite, he said.
When a buildup of gas was detected in two garages, firefighters used a large fan to force the gas out, Michael said.
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