The evacuation of residents near Locust Avenue and College
Street ended around 3 p.m. Monday, as locals were allowed to return
to their homes nearly five hours after construction crews broke a
gas pipe in the area.
The evacuation of residents near Locust Avenue and College Street ended around 3 p.m. Monday, as locals were allowed to return to their homes nearly five hours after construction crews broke a gas pipe in the area.
As of 3 p.m., though, Pacific Gas & Electric was still working on the gas line, and Locust Avenue was to remain closed, according to a statement from the police department.
The Hollister Fire Department and Hollister Police Department started evacuating the area around 10:30 a.m., minutes after road construction crews broke a gas pipe.
An hour after the break was first reported, the gas was still spewing out of the pipe.
Workers with a private contractor hit the gas line around 10:10 a.m. with a machine that was rolling over the roadway, said fire department Capt. Charlie Bedolla. Firefighters received calls 15 minutes later.
PG&E was called to the scene to close off the line, Bedolla said. PG&E workers arrived shortly before 11 a.m. Firefighters already cleared a nearby apartment complex but were still clearing homes on College Street and West Second Street around 11 a.m., Bedolla said.
“We are trying to get everyone out and tell them not to use anything,” he said at the time.
The borders of the evacuation area were from Central Avenue to Buena Vista Road and from Line Street to Locust Avenue, said police spokesman Capt. David Westrick.
Authorities also set up an evacuation center at the Hollister Community Center for the affected residents, Westrick said.
