Producers Dairy facility in Central Fresno evacuated over propane leak

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A propane leak forced evacuations at a Producers Dairy facility in Central Fresno on Sunday afternoon.

The Fresno Fire Department first got a call about a gas rupture at the plant off Belmont and Palm avenues, but they soon discovered a 500-gallon propane tank was leaking. Firefighters evacuated about a half dozen employees and called the company that services the tank.

"Apparently they had done some service work to it this week, changing the gasket around the gauge, and apparently that started the leak," said Battalion Chief Don Bier of the Fresno Fire Department.

Fire officials say it was a small leak that dissipated into the air, and no one suffered any effects from it, but it did force the plant to stay shut down for about an hour.