Gas Prompts Evacuation for Most of the Day

A gas leak closed a central avenue through the City and prompted the voluntary evacuation of several residences, businesses and an elementary school recently. The leak was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m. when a Verizon crew working in an underground vault on Cajon Street between Fern and Cypress avenues detected flammable gas in the vault and called the Redlands Fire Department. Fire personnel detected high levels of flammable gas in the underground vaults along Cajon from Fern to Highland. Redlands Police closed Cajon to traffic from Olive Avenue to Highland Avenue. Shortly after 11 a.m., residents and businesses that front Cajon were advised to evacuate the area. Redlands Unified School District officials brought buses to Kingsbury Elementary School at Cypress and Cajon to transport students to nearby Redlands High School where they were released to family members. Personnel, including fire personnel from San Manuel Indian Reservation Fire Department with specialized gas detection equipment, Southern California Gas Co., Verizon, Sempra Energy, AQMD and San Bernardino County Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Unit worked with the Redlands Fire Department throughout the day to determine the type of gas and source of the leak. At about 5 p.m., Gas Co. employees were able locate and cap a natural gas leak in an area of Cajon between Olive and Fern avenues and flammable gas levels quickly dropped below measurable levels. Cajon Street was reopened and all evacuations lifted by shortly after 6 p.m. Traffic control was expected to remain in the southbound lane of Cajon between Olive and Fern through Thursday while Gas Co. crews completed repairs. No injuries were reported.