HOLLYWOOD—On June 5, a gas main was accidentally broken by construction workers in Hollywood, causing several streets in the area to be shut down.

LAFD staff worked on the main fissure while street closures were established on Hollywood Boulevard from Highland Avenue to Las Palmas Avenue. Other streets in surrounding areas were shut down.

Workers from the Los Angeles Fire Department were able to cap the gas main, which ruptured at around 8:30 a.m. near the Hollywood Boulevard’s Mann’s Chinese Theater, according to police.

“The incident happened on 1714 N. McCadden,” Brian Humphrey, of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, told Canyon News. “It happened when a worker apparently—and I stress the word ‘apparently’—struck the pipe with the back hoe of a tractor. It happened at 8:26 a.m. and when we arrived we did our best to mediate the issue, and then we left at 9:08 a.m so that The Southern California Gas Company could take care of it.  The gas officials arrived to determine the cause of the break. There were no injuries and no evacuation.”

When asked by Canyon News how individuals can respond when they believe they are in a location in which a gas leak has occurred, Humphrey stated, “Natural gas has no odor, so if you can’t hear it leaking you can’t smell it. If you believe your life or property is in danger you should always call 911, but it’s not always necessary because the Southern California Gas handles hundreds of leaking gas calls a day. If people are in an areawhere they think there is a gas leak, we would just ask that they make sure they’re not smoking or holding lighters in their hands, or driving vehicles which in a worst case scenario can produce a spark.”

Humphrey told Canyon News about the new federally-mandated 811 service, which people may refer to as a precautionary measure if they want to make special installations or repairs in their homes that could potentially cause a gas line to break.

“People who are contemplating excavating in their yard or performing home improvements or repairs, or installing cable television or underground utilities, or planting a tree or garden, or cutting into a wall or moving a stove should call 811 first to prevent a utility rupture,” he said.

A statement at the “Call Before You Dig” 811 Web site reads: “Every digging job requires a call—even small projects like planting trees or shrubs. If you hit an underground utility line while digging you can harm yourself or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially be responsible for fines and repairs costs.”

To learn more about 811’s services, please visit the Call811 Web site at http://www.call811.com/.