News Story 4

Several businesses and restaurants in the South Market area, at Folsom and 11th Street, were closed temporarily yesterday when a private construction crew accidentally severed a gas pipe.

According to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the incident occurred a little before 12:30 p.m. when a private construction crew was working on repairing a sewage line when they accidentally severed a two-inch underground gas pipe with a black hoe. The accident resulted in the temporary closing of several businesses, restaurants, and residences in the South Market area, forcing at least 100 people to leave. The Police also cordoned off all surrounding streets, effectively shutting down a four-block area and bringing all traffic to a major standstill in all near by streets.

Many of the people stood outside the surrounding area, appearing irritated with the situation. “Ask any of my customers, they were pretty irate,” said Carla Lauria, manager of Crocker’s Lockers a self-storage company on Folsom near 10th Street. Her employee’s kept busy though by going outside the police perimeter and collecting payments and checks from customers.

Restaurant businesses were also hit hard by the situation. Samantha Feldman of Wa-Ha-Ka restaurant, a business on the corner of where the construction crew was working, said her employees and patrons had to leave as soon as they were notified of the gas leak. Feldman also added that her restaurant lost about $500 in business in the shutdown.

Restaurants and other businesses in the South Market area remained closed for several more hours before the gas was turned back on around 5:09 p.m. according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.