VISALIA, CA — More than 300 households, including residents in three mobile home parks, are without natural gas today after an error during a routine inspection.
The gas outage began during a yearly check when a SoCalGas technician discovered a damaged valve. While fixing the damage, the technician accidentally left a fire control valve closed, cutting off the gas supply for heating and cooking.
SoCalGas began reconnecting service to the affected homes on Tuesday morning, Feb. 3. According to the company, crews are currently in the neighborhood making permanent repairs to gas lines and have set up a support station to help community members.
Service Restoration Requirements
To restore gas service, an adult must be present at each residence when a technician arrives. If an adult is not home during the first visit, technicians will come back later to turn the gas on. Crews will stay in the neighborhood throughout the day to restore service for residents who were not available during the initial rounds.
The utility company is restoring service at no cost to all affected residents. However, officials warn customers never to turn the gas back on themselves for safety reasons. Customers with special needs should call the SoCalGas helpline at 1-800-427-2200 for assistance.
Neighborhood Impact
Residents may notice the smell of natural gas in the neighborhood while crews finish permanent repairs. SoCalGas says the odor is a normal part of the repair process and should be expected until the work is finished.
The utility company has notified the Visalia Fire Department and city leaders about the outage and the repairs. The support station remains open to help anyone affected by the outage.
