Portales gas leak shuts down streets

STAFF REPORT

A gas leak in Portales Wednesday caused police to shut down 18th Street between Avenue B to Abilene and evacuate residents from their homes.

Portales Police Detective Charlie Smart said TLC, the company contracting to build and install a wastewater plant pipeline, struck a gas line.

The section of street was closed down as of 2 p.m. with residents being allowed to return to their homes just after 4 p.m.

Smart and Officer Chris Valdez said TLC officials said the repair of the line would take an additional two hours to complete with residents on 18th Street being without gas in the meantime.

Public Works Director John DeSha was out of town but said he was notified and the company had hit an unmarked gas line.

TLC also hit a water pipeline last month, causing Portales residents and businesses to be without water for just over 24 hours.