Residents evacuated for downed power lines, gas leak
Officer Matt Worley of the Paso Robles Police Department asks residents to avoid the ares of a downed power line.
Update at 8:37 pm, March 10: On Monday at 5:57 PM, firefighters responded to power lines down in the area of 2nd and Vine streets in Paso Robles. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find a live power line down on 2nd Street between Vine and Olive Streets. Firefighters and Paso Robles Police Officers immediately closed streets in the area.
Firefighters monitoring the downed power lines in the 200 block of Vine Street extinguished a small grass fire. An energized power line was blown into a residence at 209 Vine Street by the wind. The electrical line energized a gas line serving the residence and started a small fire in the house. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire but were unable to secure the gas service to the residence due to the energized electrical line.
Because of a natural gas leak and live electrical line authorities from the fire and police departments evacuated residents from the area. Police officers immediately evacuated residences on Olive Street to Vine Street between 2nd Street and 4th Street.
Firefighters with hose lines were deployed in the area around 209 Vine Street. After Pacific Gas and Electric crews terminated the power, firefighters were able to secure the gas service. Residents were allowed to return to their homes at about 7:20 p.m.
Damage to 209 Vine Street was limited to an interior wall and heating unit. No firefighter or civilian injuries were reported. A total of 14 firefighters from the Paso Robles Department of Emergency Services, CalFire/SLO County Fire Department and Atascadero Fire Department responded to the incident. Paso Robles Police Department assisted with evacuations and street closures.
Original story posted: 7:05 pm, March 10, 2014:
Avoid area, streets are closed
Around 6 p.m. Monday evening, a transformer was reported out near 2nd and Vine streets. At the scene officer Matt Worley of the Paso Robles Police Department advised residents to avoid the area because of a suspected down power line. Several residents in the area have reported power outages.
At 6:52 p.m. the police and fire departments issued a special alert to all Paso Robles residents: For an undetermined amount of time, please avoid the general areas of Vine and Olive streets between 1st and 3rd streets due to active power lines down.
At 7:26 p.m. the police and fire departments issued an updated alert: Vine Street has been reopened for through traffic. There are still a few barricaded areas nearby so please continue to use caution when driving in the area.
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