Gas main rupture closes McHenry-Claratina intersection for an hour-plus

A PG&E 4-inch plastic natural gas main was ruptured by a digging crew shortly before 7 a.m. Monday along Claratina Avenue at McHenry Avenue.

Anyone at work in surrounding businesses at that early hour was evacuated, according to Modesto police, and traffic on McHenry was diverted at Grecian Avenue south of the break and Bangs Avenue north of it. Claratina was closed east of McHenry to Lifescapes Drive, and Pelandale was closed west of McHenry to Tully Road.

A PG&E crew responded to the scene to shut off the flow, which created a roar as the odorized gas poured out of the break. Without any traffic around, the area fell quiet when PG&E succeeded in turning off the gas about 8:10 a.m. Traffic flow resumed through the intersection within a couple of minutes.

Repair of the ruptured pipe was estimated to take about three hours, PG&E spokeswoman Brandi Ehlers said shortly after the flow was shut off.

As the area around the gas leak was being closed, a warning was issued over the scanner to use traffic cones only, no flares.

This story was originally published June 22, 2015 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Gas main rupture closes McHenry-Claratina intersection for an hour-plus."