Hercules gas leak stopped, neighborhood evacuation lifted

HERCULES, Calif. -- A gas leak that prompted the evacuation of a Hercules neighborhood Tuesday has been stopped and the evacuation order has been lifted.

The flow of gas from the break near San Pablo and Sycamore Avenues was stopped at 10:27 a.m., PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said.

A third-party digging crew doing work in the area had hit a 4-inch plastic line there, Sarkissian said. PG&E was first alerted to the gas leak at 8:34 a.m.

An evacuation was ordered at 9:51 a.m. between North and South Front streets.

Evacuees were initially sent to Duck Pond Park on Sycamore Avenue, but after a wind shift, they were sent to the Hercules Community Swim Center at 2001 Refugio Valley Road, county emergency officials said.

The evacuation order was lifted at about 10:45 a.m.