Plume-Spewing El Cerrito Gas Leak Blamed on Tree Roots, Rodents

Tree roots and rodents were blamed for a leak in a two-inch gas line in El Cerrito early this morning, Wednesday, that spewed a plume of gas for four hours and forced the evacuation of four homes, authorities said.

The El Cerrito fire department responded to a call of an odor in the area about 12:25 a.m. and discovered a leak with "gas blowing through the dirt pretty heavily," said fire Battalion Chief John Dougery. The leak was next to 1301 Everett St. at Manila Avenue, he said.

PG&E crews responded and succeeded in stopping the leak in the two-inch line by 4:30 a.m., said PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian. The line repair and refilling the hole that was dug to access the leak was completed by 8:30 a.m., she said.

"It was found that the cause was tree roots and rodents that damaged the lines," she said. No customers lost gas service during the incident, she said.

El Cerrito fire Battalion Chief Michael Bond said evacuation notices were given to four homes, and three were evacuated while the fourth was already empty.

Bond said the visible plume spewing from the ground was caused by the force of escaping gas from the 50-pound-pressure line blowing a mixture of gas, dirt and dust into the air.

KGO TV footage shows the plume spewing from the ground next to the curb.

Dougery said the residents were allowed to return home after the gas was stopped and that no one suffered injury.