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Moraga Sinkhole May Take Days To Fix; Gas Service Being Restored

MORAGA (CBS SF) – A main Moraga thoroughfare will remain closed until at least later this week as city employees work to repair a sinkhole that was reported Sunday.

PG&E has also pulled resources to restore gas service that was lost after a traffic signal pole fell into the sinkhole and ruptured a gas line, utility officials said.

A report about the sinkhole was first received by police at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Rheem Boulevard and Center Street, adjacent to Moraga Road, Moraga acting police Chief Jon King said.

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Then the 4-inch gas line was ruptured at about 5 p.m. when the surface around the sinkhole gave way and the traffic signal pole dropped in, King said.

Residents of up to 100 nearby homes were asked to shelter in place as PG&E crews responded to stop the flow of gas. A Moraga-Orinda Fire District engine crew was standing by during the incident, King said.

About 450 people from nearby businesses were also evacuated because of the break, which was producing a strong odor in the area.

Although gas is no longer escaping the ruptured line, the immediate area is still cordoned off, King said. The shelter in place order was lifted at about 3 a.m. Monday.

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King said for at least three to four days, Rheem Boulevard at Center Street will remain closed as city engineering and construction crews work to assess the sinkhole's damage and work to repair it.

The city is working in concert with PG&E since 2,500 of the utility's customers in Moraga remain without gas service because of the rupture.

PG&E spokesman Nick Stimmel said the utility will have more than 200 employees who will be working Monday to restore service.

Stimmel said the utility crews will be shutting off individual meters in order to flush the gas line, and then the customers without service will have their pilot lights re-lighted.

Moraga police Monday morning advised residents that the utility's employees will be going door-to-door to the homes of PG&E customers, and that they should be easily identifiable by their uniform and employee ID.

Residents with questions about someone who is contacting them are asked to call Moraga police at (925) 284-5010.

© Copyright 2016 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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