Broken Gas Line Sends Fumes Into School

More than 20 students and teachers were taken to hospitals Tuesday after a construction crew working on the expansion of a La Habra middle school ruptured a natural gas line, sending fumes into classrooms.

The students, who complained of nausea and dizziness, were treated and released to their parents.

The accident at Washington Middle School occurred about 9:20 a.m. when a backhoe operator cut into the gas line. The workers are building eight classrooms, a library, a bell tower and a parking lot at the campus.

Nancy D. Stuve, public affairs manager for the Gas Co., said the accident could have been avoided if the crew had marked the ground around the gas line with spray paint.

“That line wasn’t marked,” Stuve said. “These types of things happen when a contractor doesn’t mark their gas lines. It happens, but this could have been avoided.”

Once the leak was detected, school officials evacuated students from the buildings. Students in a few classrooms complained about feeling sick and were taken to hospitals as a precautionary measure. Other classes were allowed to resume.

Chris Thompson, who works for a subcontractor handling a portion of the expansion project, said he was digging a 4-foot hole near the school’s science lab to repair a sewer main when he accidentally cut into the gas line.

Ray Telles, the general building inspector hired by the La Habra City School District to oversee construction at the middle school, said the accident is the latest in a series of problems.

“It’s been a nightmare,” Telles said. “I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before. There are nine [gas] lines in that area going to different buildings.”

John Fithian, who works for the general contractor handling the project, expressed frustration that the campus’ various underground pipes weren’t marked in contract documents, making their work more difficult.

“We started the project in April, and every time we try to build something, we hit another pipe,” he said.