South Lake Tahoe Fire Department responded to a reported gas leak near the Budget Inn at 3496 Lake Tahoe Blvd on August 6, 2012 at approximately 11:00 pm. It has been determined that a backhoe had severed a 2 inch high pressure natural gas service line.
Highway 50 was closed from Fairway Avenue to Herbert Avenue from 11:00 pm to 1:30 am. South Lake Tahoe Police and El Dorado County Sheriffs were requested to assist with traffic control and possibly with an evacuation plan. El Dorado Sheriff’s Office also requested that Search and Rescue Volunteers respond to assist with an evacuation plan if it became necessary.
All residents of nearby hotels were requested to shelter in place and to await further instructions. Southwest Gas responded from Dayton and from the Reno area which increased scene times greatly. South Lake Tahoe Fire Department Firefighters assisted Southwest Gas technicians with securing the gas lines for an extended period.
At approximately 12:45 am Southwest Gas was able to secure the gas line and there were no injuries reported. For more information, contact Shift Commander Jim Drennan at (530) 542-6168.
