Gas leak ends route 163, thousands evacuated in Mission Valley

Households and businesses, including an entire mall, were evacuated and the two directions of a busy highway were closed Wednesday after construction crews inadvertently cut a 20-inch-diameter gas line at a Mission Valley intersection.

Everyone in a half-mile radius of the gas line cut off near the corner of Fridays and Ulric Street was told to evacuate, San Diego Fire Rescue Department spokesman Alec Phillipp said about 2: 45 in the morning. The intersection is just west of state route 163, which was terminated between Interstates 8 and 805 as a result of the leak.

#BREAKING #CHOPPER8 gas line rupture now closing the 163 between the 805 and the 8. @news8 at 11am. pic.twitter.com/c1Xtmcy42t

— Barbara Richards (@sdbrichards) 7 de março de 2018

The evacuation order affected about 3,300 people in 1,100 homes, Phillipp said. The entire Fashion Valley Mall has also been evacuated, as well as an unknown number of other businesses in the area.

Allison Torres of San Diego Gas and Electric said that crews - who have been on the scene since the leak was first reported around 10:30 am - were still trying to contain the gas, unlike previous reports from that the line was covered.

"Our crews are still out there trying to identify the valves needed to control the gas," Torres said about 3:40 pm

Torres said there was no estimate as to when the gas leak would be repaired.

Police began shutting Friars Road between Fashion Valley Mall and Frazee Road about 45 minutes after the first reports of the gas leak arrived, and California Highway Patrol officials began closing the SR163 between Interstates 8 and 805 shortly thereafter.

Television news coverage showed clouds of natural gas visibly rippling in the sky amid reports of a strong gas odor in the area.