Gas leak causes road closures, traffic delays in Laguna Niguel

A construction crew inadvertently ruptured a gas main, causing a significant leak in a commercial area of Laguna Niguel that led to road closures and employees being escorted from nearby businesses, on Thursday morning, Sept. 23 around 10 a.m.

Officials were called to the area of Camino Capistrano and Avery Parkway just past 9:30 a.m. and found the leak had caused part of the roadway along Camino Capistrano to “bubble up,” Capt. Greg Barta said.

The affected area is in a commercial corridor that includes car dealerships and runs alongside train tracks just south of the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink station. Approximately 47 local businesses’ natural gas service had been impacted, officials said.

By 3:30 p.m., SoCalGas crews had safely stopped the flow of natural gas and all evacuation orders had been lifted.

Permanent repairs were expected to be completed the following day and SoCalGas technicians would be dispatched to restore natural gas service to affected customers, said Neena Packing, a spokesperson for SoCalGas by email Thursday evening.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department closed down the Avery Parkway off-ramp from the southbound 5 Freeway and westbound Avery Parkway from the 5 Freeway, Camino Capistrano at Avery and eastbound Paseo de Colinas at Star Drive, officials said.

By 5 p.m. freeway ramps had re-opened, but Paseo de Colinas remained closed.

SoCal Gas would be on scene likely through the night, said Sgt. Ryan Anderson, a spokesperson for the OCSD Thursday evening.

No homes were affected, Anderson said, and no injuries were reported.