Car crashes into natural gas line in Alameda

PG&E is trying to fix a natural gas line that was struck by a vehicle in Alameda. The accident happened at 1 a.m. Wednesday at Clement Avenue and Grand Street.

A car crashed through a fence and hit a four inch high pressured natural gas line. This was in the parking lot of the Pennzoil plant where they distribute oil. Police did a reverse 911 call to residents in the area to tell them to shelter in place and turn off gas appliances until they could stop the gas leak. Dealing with the leaking gas was not a quick fix.

"But, unfortunately where it was severed, it's on the supply side of the valve not on the discharge side. So, shutting off the valve didn't prove to stop the flow of gas. So, PG&E has decided that the best option now is they are bringing out a crew who will probably open up the ground, go down inside and pinch the gas off," said Alameda Fire Dept. Div. Chief Richard Waggener.

Police had the driver stay in the car until they could get PG&E out here to make sure he was safe to get out the car. They finally let him out and took him to the hospital with minor injuries.

They have stopped the leaking gas so the shelter-in-place has been lifted. At this point they don't know why the driver crashed.