Additional Coverage:
- Massive gas line explosion shuts down Los Angeles freeway, triggers shelter-in-place order (themirror.com)
Gas Line Explosion Rocks Castaic, Prompts Freeway Closure and Shelter-in-Place Order
CASTAIC, CA – A gas line explosion late Saturday afternoon in Castaic forced the closure of portions of the 5 Freeway and led to a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents as fire officials battled a significant blaze.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department received reports of the explosion around 4:20 p.m. near the intersection of Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place. As of initial reports, no injuries have been reported, according to Fire Captain Brian Kight.
The California Highway Patrol swiftly responded by closing all lanes of the 5 Freeway at 5:12 p.m., with the duration of the closure remaining unknown. Shortly after, at 5:40 p.m., a shelter-in-place order was issued for a large section of Castaic.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to close all doors, windows, and vents, and to shut off their HVAC systems. The designated shelter-in-place zone includes areas west of I-5, south of North Red Oak Court, north of Park Vista Drive, and east of Meadow Grass Drive, Victoria Road, and Mandolin Canyon Road.
By 6 p.m. local time, fire officials successfully shut off the gas supply to both ends of the broken line. However, firefighters and a hazmat task force continued to address a residual leak.
The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation. Traffic on the 5 Freeway in the affected areas is being diverted to CA-126.
This incident comes amidst a week of severe weather in the region, with an atmospheric river bringing heavy rain and high winds. The storm has caused widespread flash flooding, power outages, and numerous road closures across California. Forecasters have warned that additional rainfall could heighten the risk of debris flows in areas previously scorched by wildfires, where vegetation loss makes the ground less able to absorb water.
Thousands of Southern California residents and businesses are experiencing power outages on Christmas Day, with crews from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison working to restore service. The largest outages are concentrated in the San Fernando Valley and West L.A. areas.
Beyond the Castaic explosion, the severe weather has led to other critical incidents across the state. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation warning for Wrightwood, a mountain community, due to mudslide risks, with firefighters rescuing individuals trapped in cars earlier in the week.
Tragically, a San Diego County man was killed by a falling tree, and a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in a weather-related crash. Evacuation orders were also in place for residents near the Airport Fire burn scar zones in Orange County.
Coastal areas in Malibu were under a flood watch for much of the week, while wind and flood advisories were issued for the Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area. These storms are a result of multiple atmospheric rivers impacting the region during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Meteorologist Mike Wofford of the National Weather Service noted that while Southern California typically sees half an inch to one inch of rain this time of year, many areas have experienced between four and eight inches this week, with even higher totals in the mountains. High elevations are also grappling with heavy snowfall and near white-out conditions, leading to treacherous mountain pass travel and a “high” avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe.
In response to the widespread impact, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties, mobilizing state assistance and deploying emergency resources and first responders. The California National Guard remains on standby to provide further support.