UPDATE: 1 p.m.
The gas leak was determined as being caused when a third-party contractor struck a 6-inch gas main at the corner of 18th and Valencia streets, according to PG&E spokesman Joe Molica.
SFFD reported the leak at 10:40 a.m. and PG&E crews were on the scene eight minutes later, working with fire and police officials to evacuate and secure the area.
The leak was capped at 12:03 p.m. and residents and employees were allowed back in the area half an hour later.
“It took a while because when a main of this size has a leak, we have to do a safety valve shut down and close gas off to the area slowly,” Molica said.
54 services and buildings were affected, but there is no estimate on how many customers were affected.
Service is expected to begin being restored at 1:30 p.m. Crews will go door-to-door to inspect pilot lights, giving priority to businesses in the area, but because some residents might not return until the evening, there is no estimate when service will be fully restored.
No injuries were reported and there is currently no estimate for the cost of damage or repairs.
EARLIER:
While police were evacuating residents within a one-block radius, Pacific Gas and Electric crews were still working to repair the damage from a “major gas leak,” caused by construction workers on Valencia Street, according to crew members.
“It’s confusing in there, there are a lot of pipes in there,” one police officer said.
The gas leak was first reported at around 10:30 a.m. and it continued to leak for more than an hour before the gas was shut off around 12 p.m.
Firefighters were still evacuating the area at noon. The evacuation area covered portions of Valencia Street between 17th and 19th streets and on 18th Street between Mission and Guerrero streets. It’s unclear how many people live and work in the area, but it’s at least a couple of thousand.
Residents along Valencia gathered to watch as police and firefighters continued to arrive.
No ambulances were at the site of the leak.
The city has been working on a project to widen the sidewalks on Valencia and is now working on the west side of the street where the leak occurred.
Even blocks away the smell of gas remained strong. The police station nearby with 60 officers, was also evacuated.
The gas leak which occurred across from the a new condominium development at 18th and Valencia and Taqueria Buen Sabor.
Alfredo Echeverria, a cook at the Buen Sabor Taqueria, said he heard a loud sound (which was the gas leak) and soon after firefighters asked everyone to leave.
“I feel bad because we couldn’t work,” he said.
Josie Lazo, who lives in a building on the corner of San Carlos and 18th streets, said she was told to evacuate around 11:30. With her dog in a carrier she said she was going to Goodwill to donate clothes and she would return in an hour.
The evacuation orders were lifted at 12:20 p.m.
Kimberly Chua contributed to this story.
