A ruptured high-pressure gas main that led to mandatory evacuations on the south end of San Jacinto was repaired Friday.
SoCal Gas Co. technicians completed sealing the split line at the intersection of North State Street and West Esplanade Avenue about 12:20 p.m. Friday, according to officials at the scene.
The Riverside County Fire Department did not immediately lift evacuation orders and warnings, but all of the directives were slated for cancellation before 3 p.m.
The natural gas leak was reported at 11:25 a.m. Thursday adjacent to a business, where product was dispersed from the eight-inch-diameter line, blowing dirt and debris visible to fire personnel as they rolled to the location.
Multiple engine crews were sent, along with sheriff’s deputies and police officers from the neighboring Hemet Police Department.
Shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday, authorities implemented mandatory evacuations that affected all businesses in the vicinity, along with an unspecified number of surrounding residences.
The evacuation zone’s boundaries were marked as north to Fruitvale Avenue, south to Seventh Street, west to Santa Fe Avenue and east to Palm Avenue.
An estimated 85 people were evacuated, through warnings applied to a much larger area, affecting a total of 2,400 people, according to officials.
A care and reception center was initially opened at Tahquitz High School, in Hemet, then moved overnight to Hemet High School at 41701 Stetson Ave.
Deputies and police officers closed access to streets leading into the evacuation zone for public safety.
There was no word on what might have caused the main to break.