5 Freeway Reopens After Castaic Natural Gas Leak; Investigation Ongoing

A natural gas leak near the 5 Freeway in Castaic prompted the closure of all lanes and a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents on Saturday afternoon. The incident was reported around 4:20 p.m. near Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place, where a 34-inch transmission line ruptured, releasing natural gas into the area.

Emergency crews, including Los Angeles County firefighters and SoCalGas personnel, responded promptly. By late Saturday night, SoCalGas confirmed that the damaged section of the pipeline had been safely isolated, stopping the leak. The company stated, "There are no indications, at this time, of an ignition or explosion."

The 5 Freeway was closed in both directions, causing significant traffic delays. Northbound traffic was diverted to State Route 126, while southbound traffic was rerouted to State Route 138. The freeway reopened around 8:45 p.m.

A shelter-in-place order was issued for the communities of Charley Canyon, Hillcrest, and Wayside, affecting approximately 14,900 residents. This order was lifted around 10 p.m.

The cause of the pipeline rupture remains under investigation. SoCalGas noted that significant land movement had been observed near the break, though Los Angeles County fire officials stated they did not believe land movement played a factor in the gas leak.

As of Sunday morning, there is no danger to the public, and no injuries have been reported. Fewer than five non-residential natural gas customers experienced outages due to the break.