A gas main was punctured Tuesday during work around a subdivision in Winchester, prompting first responders to evacuate a few homes as a precaution while the line was mended.
The rupture was reported about 3 p.m. on Darlington Oak Drive, between Leon and Winchester roads, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said two engine crews were sent to the location and found a two-inch natural gas line split open. The gas was immediately shut off.
It was unclear how the main was hit, and whether it was a construction crew or landscapers who caused the damage.
Firefighters asked occupants of four properties nearest the line to temporarily relocate a safe distance away while SoCal Gas Co. technicians made repairs, which were expected to be completed before nightfall, according to reports from the scene.