Small Gas Leak, Fire in Novato Prompted by Garage Repair Accident

A man making a repair on a neighbor’s house accidentally caused a natural gas leak and small fire on Tuesday in Novato.

No smoke or fire was showing when three engines, a truck, a medical unit and a battalion chief from the pulled up to a home in the 1300 block of Cambridge Street just after 11 a.m. After checking out the home, the smell of smoke led firefighters to the garage, where a small fire was found in a corner. It was extinguished quickly and the gas line was turned off.

A friend of the homeowner told firefighters that he used an electric circular saw to cut a small-diameter gas line next to a water heater in the garage. He was soldering some copper pipe when sparks ignited the gas and caught some of the plastic and copper plumbing on fire.

The resident immediately evacuated the building and called 911.