Saturday, February 23, 2008

JOUR 61: News Story 3

A high pressure gas pipe ruptured in the South of Market area yesterday forcing police to shut down a four block area, ousting 100 people from the area and bringing traffic to a standstill.
The incident happened on the busy Folsom and 11th street intersection a little before 12:30 p.m. A private construction crew was attempting to repair sewer lines and in doing so severed a two-inch underground gas pipe with a backhoe.
Police soon drew a perimeter around the scene with residents, dozens of business owners and customers forced onto the streets. Those running businesses in the area were especially aggravated by the disruption caused.
“Ask my customers. They were pretty irate.” said Carlann Lauria, manager of Crocker’s Lockers, a self-storage company on Folsom near 10th street. Another manager, Samantha Feldman of Wa-Ha-Ka restaurant, located on the corner where the construction was taking place, said that they lost $500 worth of business due to the shutdown of the area.
The gas was not turned back on in the area until 5:09 p.m.