Gas Leak Prompts Precautionary Evacuations at Coachella Apartment Complex

COACHELLA (CNS) – A gas line rupture Friday at an apartment complex in Coachella prompted a precautionary evacuation of multiple units and a street closure. The gas leak was reported at 11:30 a.m. at the Las Casas Apartments in the 51000 block of Tyler Street, near 52nd Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and detected a natural gas odor, apparently from a compromised line. Firefighters evacuated five buildings in the complex, for a total of 20 units impacted, while residents in surrounding buildings and houses were asked to shelter in place as a precaution, officials said. A segment of Tyler was additionally shut down by sheriff’s deputies for public safety. The specific source of the leak was under investigation. As of 1 p.m., SoCal Gas Co. technicians were at the site, working to repair the leak, according to the fire department. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.