Gas leak plugged, evacuation lifted in South Lake Tahoe

UPDATE 10:57 AM: South Lake Tahoe Fire Department issued the following press release regarding Monday night's gas leak, which was reportedly caused by a backhoe that severed a natural gas line. The leak forced the closure of Highway 50 between Fairway Avenue and Herbert Avenue from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. No injuries were reported. Here is the press statement:

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.

UPDATE 12:50AM: The evacuation of Highway 50 between Fairway and Herbert in South Lake Tahoe has been lifted as of 12:42 a.m. Tuesday. Southwest Gas has shut off the gas line that was leaking, according to South Lake Tahoe fire officials on the scene. Traffic flow along Highway 50 and Lake Tahoe Boulevard was to be re-established after 1 a.m.

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South Lake Tahoe fire and police departments responded to a gas leak Monday night which forced the outside evacuation of at least a two block area of Highway 50 from Fairway to Herbert. Lakeland Village and Howard Johnsons guests were ordered to stay in their rooms as of 11 p.m. Areas outside the lodging establishments on both the east and west sides of Highway 50, (Lake Tahoe Boulevard) were evacuated, with guests being ordered to stay inside. The outdoor areas that are adjacent to businesses and lodging establishments were evacuated because of the severity of the leak, according to firefighters on the scene.
The initial call came in at around 11 p.m. with Highway 50 ordered shut down and diverted by fire officials on the scene. El Dorado County Sheriff's Office is also assisting. Southwest Gas was said to be responding from Reno with an approximate estimated time of arrival of midnight.