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CASTAIC, Calif. () — The 5 Freeway in Castaic has reopened following a natural gas leak that shut down all lanes in the area for hours, leaving dozens stuck in traffic and concerned about their safety.
Latest developments on Castaic natural gas leak
The incident was initially reported on Saturday just before 4:30 p.m.
Natural gas leaked from a main gas line just east of the southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway near the intersection of Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place.
Fire officials confirmed the leak came from a 34-inch transmission line — a major natural gas pipe that runs near the freeway.
Late Saturday night, a SoCalGas spokesperson issued a statement, saying crews had “safely isolated the damaged section of pipeline, stopping the leak,” and that “there are no indications, at this time, of an ignition or explosion.”
Questions about land movement
Eyewitness News spoke with Los Angeles County fire officials Saturday, who said they did not believe land movement seen in aerial footage of the scene played a factor in the gas leak.
They said their initial investigation at the scene would have unveiled that. However, SoCalGas acknowledged that there has been significant land movement in the area after recent storms, and said they are not ruling that out as a cause.
The cause of the break is still under investigation.
Officials said once the remaining natural gas in the damaged pipeline section is safely vented, crews will assess the damage and make repairs.
SoCalGas said fewer than five non-residential natural gas customers were experiencing outages due to the break.
As of Sunday morning, there’s no danger to the public, according to SoCalGas, and no injuries have been reported.
Major traffic delay
The 5 Freeway was shut down for hours Saturday, causing major traffic delays for drivers, some saying they were stuck in traffic for nearly three hours.
A shelter-in-place was issued for the communities of Charley Canyon, Hillcrest and Wayside and was lifted around 10 p.m. Saturday. Approximately 14,900 people live in the impacted area.
Fire officials said winds pushed the gas south, which is why people miles away in areas like Santa Clarita reported a strong smell. Now that the gas is off, they expect the smell will continue to subside.
Meantime, Gov. Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the incident, according to his office.
The gas leak may have been triggering for many people living in the North San Fernando Valley.
In 2015, the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility suffered a blowout and turned into the largest natural gas leak in our nation’s history. For four months, 97,000 tons of noxious gases were sent into the surrounding communities of Porter Ranch, Granada Hills and beyond.
Residents suffered headaches, rashes and nose bleeds. Pets died, schools closed and thousands were forced to leave their homes and find temporary housing.
Many residents say they are still suffering effects from the blowout to this day.
Officials explained that the pipe was under extreme pressure, and when it failed, the gas was released forcefully, kicking up dirt and debris, which was visible to drivers in the area.
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