Folsom Boulevard reopens after gas leak prompted evacuations of a dozen homes
Officials were expected to partially reopen Folsom Boulevard late Wednesday afternoon after a gas leak in the Rosemont area led to a street closure lasting several hours and the evacuations of a dozen or more homes. All lanes were open as of 4:45 p.m. and people were free to return to their homes.
The leak was detected just after noon and officials immediately ordered evacuations of 12 to 15 homes, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. The affected residences were on Gold Point Way near Mira del Rio Drive.
A preliminary investigation indicated the leak involved three separate breaks in a PG&E gas line, potentially caused by underground trenching operations by a private contractor, Metro Fire reported.
Officials closed all lanes of Folsom Boulevard between Mayhew Road and Butterfield Way shortly after 1 p.m., snarling traffic as the afternoon commute began.
Krystal Farrow, 51, said she was one of the residents whose homes were subject to the evacuation order.
She said she got off work at 1:30 p.m. and was heading home with two bags of groceries when she approached the taped-off intersection at Folsom and Mayhew and was not allowed to proceed.
“It’s just a big, big headache,” she said. After nearly an hour of waiting in the stifling heat, she left to go to her daughter’s house.
A photo posted by Metro Fire shows what appears to be gas emerging from a hole in the ground near the intersection of Folsom Boulevard and Mira del Rio Drive, with a raised hill-like stretch of asphalt seen a few feet away.
Another photo shows PG&E crews appearing to dig a large hole in the middle of Folsom Boulevard.
An evacuation center was set up at Unity of Sacramento Church on Folsom Boulevard.
This story was originally published June 12, 2019 at 1:16 PM.
