CalEPA headquarters evacuated after crew struck gas line in downtown Sacramento
A Level 2 hazmat incident Tuesday afternoon in downtown Sacramento prompted the evacuation of at least three buildings including the 25-story headquarters of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Justin Sylvia said the incident at 11th and H streets was caused by contractors who struck a natural gas line. A call for service came in shortly after 1:30 p.m.
“We’re just doing a lot of air monitoring in the area, and in the inside the building,” Sylvia said.
The incident resulted in the evacuation of two adjacent motel buildings and the Joe Serna Jr. CalEPA Headquarters Building, according to Sylvia. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. workers were expected to cap the leak once on scene.
The evacuations were ordered as a precaution because the hot temperatures Tuesday allowed the natural gas to rise, Sylvia said. Workers inside the CalEPA headquarters reported smelling natural gas on some of the building’s upper floors.
A Level 2 incident requires a hazmat crew to respond, Sylvia said, but it is not severe enough to bring in the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. He said the response was more significant than a Level 1 incident, such as a vehicle leaking fuel.
“The air monitors that come on the hazmat unit are a lot more sophisticated and more in depth,” he said. “Getting those specialized crews out so we can just monitor the air, make sure that we’re not having any kind of ignition source in the area.”
Air monitors will help determine whether gas levels reach explosive limits, according to Sylvia.
No injuries have been reported.
This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM.
