Fire Above Gas Pipeline: Evacuations Lifted In Contra Costa

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – All evacuations caused by a fire threatening a natural gas pipeline in the Bay Point area of unincorporated Contra Costa County on Wednesday night were lifted as of 2:30 p.m. today, fire officials said.

The fire at a utility vault in the vicinity of Poinsettia and Suisun avenues was first reported at 8:41 p.m., Contra Costa County Fire Protection District spokesman Steve Hill said.

Crews initially responded to the area for a grass fire reported at 5:49 p.m. Wednesday and contained it at 6:17 p.m., Hill said. PG&E shut down the power to the power line at 6 p.m.

Chevron officials said in a news conference this morning that a small 0.375-inch transmitter line was ignited by a fire source -- possibly a fallen power line -- and threatened a bigger 12-inch natural gas pipeline.

Emergency crews worked to depressurize that 12-inch pipeline, from 485 PSI to 25 PSI, then pump nitrogen into the line to render it safe, but all the ingredients for a disaster were present, according to fire officials.

Chevron released a statement this morning saying the company immediately shut down the line after the fire was reported and was working with fire officials and the Office of the State Fire Marshal to evacuate
residents.

Around 4,000 people were evacuated from 1,400 homes in Bay Point after the fire started Wednesday night, Hill said.

Evacuations were ordered in the area of North Broadway Avenue to the west, Summer Way to the east, Suisun Avenue in the north and Willow Pass Road to the south.

"I want to thank our citizens that were inconvenienced for quite a while," Assistant Fire Chief Terrence Carey said. "We appreciate their patience and we're glad to get them back into their homes."

Willow Cove Elementary School in Pittsburg did not open today due to the fire, but will reopen Friday, police said.

Amtrak announced early this morning to expect delays on its Capitol Corridor route due to anticipated increased train traffic on the passenger train's regular route between Sacramento and San Jose. The Union
Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway tracks were currently closed through Antioch because of the incident, Amtrak officials and Hill said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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PREVIOUS: THURSDAY, OCT. 18, 8:17 a.m.

Evacuations remain in place this morning in Bay Point after a fire at a utility vault threatened a Chevron natural gas pipeline below it on Wednesday night and into this morning, according to fire officials.

Chevron officials said in a news conference this morning that a small .375-inch transmitter line was ignited by a fire source -- possibly a fallen power line -- and threatened a bigger 12-inch natural gas pipeline.

The transmitter line relays information from the location of the pipeline to Chevron's control center.

Chevron officials said an active fire is still ongoing in the valve vault and nitrogen will be inserted into the transmitter pipeline that will extinguish the fire once all the remaining gas in the pipeline is purged. The line is also being vented at a Chevron facility in Antioch.

Although Chevron officials said there isn't a threat of an explosion at this point, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District spokesman Steve Hill said until the fire is out, they aren't confident a major accident or failure won't occur.

Willow Cove Elementary School in Pittsburg won't be open today due to fire, police said.

Around 4,000 people have been evacuated from 1,400 homes in Bay Point after the fire started Wednesday night, Hill said.

He said a decision on the ongoing evacuations will be made once the line is declared safe, and said crews are hoping to resolve the situation by around 10 a.m. today.

Amtrak announced early this morning to expect delays on its Capitol Corridor route due to anticipated increased train traffic on the passenger train's regular route between Sacramento and San Jose. The Union
Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway tracks are currently closed through Antioch and trains will be re-routed around the closure, Amtrak officials and Hill said.

Hill said residents near the Chevron pipeline facility in the Antioch area near Buchanan Road might hear a loud noise similar to a jet engine this morning, which is normal in the venting process and he advised
them not to call 911 if they hear it.

BART officials said commuters can now park at the BART station at 1700 W. Leland Road in Pittsburg since the evacuation center at the parking lot has moved to Los Medanos College. BART officials advised that the fire would not affect service.

The fire at the vault was first reported at 8:41 p.m. in the vicinity of Poinsettia and Suisun avenues, Hill said.

The 12-inch, high-pressure natural gas line runs through the East Bay.

The line affected by the blaze has been isolated from the rest of the pipelines, Hill said.

He said the department is working on getting a drone over the vault to check on the pipeline.

Chevron released a statement this morning saying the company immediately shut down the line after the fire was reported and was working with fire officials and the Office of the State Fire Marshal to evacuate
residents.

Evacuations have been ordered in the area of North Broadway Avenue to the west, Summer Way to the east, Suisun Avenue in the north and Willow Pass Road to the south are being ordered to evacuate.

There are no injuries to anyone at this point, Hill said.

Crews initially responded to the area for a grass fire reported at 5:49 p.m. Wednesday and contained at 6:17 p.m. Hill said PG&E shut down the power to the power line at 6 p.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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--Bay City News/Image via ConFire PIO