Gas leak, reports of explosions prompt evacuations in southwest valley
Las Vegas police evacuated homes in southwest Las Vegas Thursday morning after reports of a gas leak and a string of small explosions.
The Clark County Fire Department said it was investigating a possible gas leak near a pool house in the Marisol community of Mountain’s Edge near Buffalo and Cactus drives. Police closed several streets in the area and evacuated some homes as a precaution, said Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Aden OcampoGomez.
Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Warren Whitney said officers heard explosions in the area but there was no major damage reported. Once Southwest Gas turned off the gas in the area of a neighborhood pool, the sounds of explosions stopped, Whitney said.
“CCFD proceeded to shut off the gas line to the pool house,” Whitney later wrote in an email. “The sounds of explosions stopped once the gas was shut off. Southwest Gas was on scene at this time and entered the pool house to check for a gas leak. The was no indication of a gas leak from SWG monitors inside the pool house or on the exterior of the pool house.”
Whitney said police eventually re-opened roads in the area and evacuated residents were allowed to return home.
Southwest Gas said in an email that their crews also “found no evidence of a natural gas leak or evidence of a fire or explosion related to Southwest Gas equipment. Southwest Gas crews have left the scene and will continue to work with CCFD officials as requested.”
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
