Gas leak leads to 8 evacuations in Caruthers, deputies say

CARUTHERS, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Eight homes were evacuated after a gas leak on Friday night, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire says they responded to a gas leak in the 13000 block of South Marks Avenue in Caruthers around 6:15 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the location to assist Cal Fire in evacuating eight homes.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, a person was digging between their home and the street when they hit a gas line, creating a significant gas leak.

The Sheriff’s Office also says Southern California Edison had to respond to the call to begin digging and install a shut-off valve since the home did not have one. Cal Fire says its crews at the scene cleared at about 9:45 p.m., and evacuations were lifted. The roads around the incident are also now open.

Because of this, Cal Fire officials remind the public to always “call before you dig”.

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