Photo: Los Angeles County Fire Department
Crews from Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) are investigating a major rupture in a natural gas pipeline in Castaic that occurred on Saturday.
The incident forced the closure of the 5 Freeway for nearly four hours and prompted a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents.
The rupture happened around 4:20 p.m. near Lake Hughes Road, causing significant disruption as reported by FOX LA. SoCalGas crews quickly isolated the damaged section of the 34-inch transmission line, stopping the leak by 8 p.m. The freeway was reopened by 8:50 p.m., and the shelter-in-place order was lifted by 10 p.m.
While the exact cause of the rupture is still under investigation, preliminary inspections suggest that significant land movement in the area may have contributed to the break. However, ABC7 reports that Los Angeles County fire officials do not believe land movement was a factor, despite recent storms causing shifts in the area.
The rupture caused traffic delays, with some drivers stuck for up to three hours. The incident affected fewer than five non-residential gas customers, and no injuries were reported. The public is not in danger, but residents in areas like Santa Clarita reported a strong gas odor due to winds pushing the gas south.
Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the situation, and crews are now focused on assessing the damage and planning repairs. The incident has reminded some residents of the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, the largest in U.S. history, which caused significant health issues and displacement in the North San Fernando Valley.