Newport Beach homes remain evacuated over methane leak
Methane gas evacuation in Newport Beach
A neighborhood in Newport Beach was evacuated following a methane gas leak.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - Seven homes on Newport Beach's Balboa Peninsula remain under mandatory evacuation orders as crews work to mitigate a hazardous methane gas leak.
What we know:
A local emergency was declared by the city on Wednesday after methane gas and oil were detected at a residential property.
The leak is believed to be caused by oil seeping from an abandoned well located beneath the home at 3606 Marcus Avenue.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Newport Beach neighborhood on Balboa Peninsula evacuated due to methane gas seepage
That property, along with six others in the immediate vicinity, were all "red-tagged," meaning they were officially declared temporarily uninhabitable.
Crews are actively working on mitigation efforts to address the hazardous situation.
What they're saying:
The city manager, Grace Leung, emphasized the city's commitment to public safety in a statement.
"Our top priority is the safety of residents and our neighborhoods," she said. "We are taking swift action to protect the public while closely assessing the situation and coordinating with partner agencies."
Newport Beach fire chief Jeff Boyles told the Orange County register that the well, capped in the 1920s, is approximately 800 feet deep. He noted that the escaping methane and hydrogen sulfide were reaching "levels that were highly flammable," raising the risk of an explosion. Boyles also described the unprecedented nature of the situation: "It's like a volcano basically. We've never experienced this before."
What's next:
City crews installed pipes on Thursday designed to vent the gas and relieve pressure building below ground.
Fire chief Boyles stated that if the venting process is successful, residents would likely be permitted to return, though a determination date was unclear.
"Until we get that pressure relieved, we don't feel comfortable letting the residents back in," Boyles told the Register.
The city is also working with regulatory agencies to determine the exact source and extent of the oil seepage.
The Source: The facts regarding the local emergency declaration, evacuation orders, and hazardous conditions are based on official statements from the City of Newport Beach. Crucial details about the abandoned well, the flammable gas levels, and the ongoing mitigation efforts were provided directly by Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles in an interview with The Orange County Register.