Repair work on damaged gas pipeline in Kingsburg continues

KINGSBURG, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews are working around the clock to repair a damaged natural gas line in Fresno County. It has caused some road closures and is limiting some businesses gas service.

The leak was discovered late Friday just west of Kingsburg on Conejo Avenue between Del Rey and Nelson Avenues.

Crews from SoCalGas have been working through the weekend, but they must first build a bypass line in order to get to the actual gas leak.

For three days now crews with SoCalGas have been working to repair a damaged pipeline west of Kingsburg. In order to get to the actual problem, crews must first work on a temporary solution.

"Where the damage is, we dig holes down to the pipe on either side of it and tap into that pipeline," Rob Duchow with the company said. "We want a new bypass pipeline around the damage."

Rob Duchow is the Public Affairs Manager for SoCalGas and he says that is a necessary step to avoid natural gas service interruptions while repairs are made.

"That way we can direct gas through the bypass pass, stop the leak and then we can excavate and repair the damage," he said.

Duchow says once the bypass is complete crews will have a better idea on what type of repairs to make and how long it will take. Several homes in the area are not impacted by the leak but that's not the case for a few industrial businesses east of Highway 99 in Kingsburg.

"We've asked three of our large industrial users who get their gas from this line to stop using gas until the repairs are made so that we don't lose pressure," Duchow said.

SoCalGas doesn't know what caused the pipeline to leak but crews are looking into the possibility that a large farm tractor somehow damaged it.

Work on the bypass should be complete later this afternoon or evening. But Conejo Avenue between Del Rey and Nelson Avenues will be closed until the actual repair work is complete.