Overview
- Southern California Gas Co. says a geologist’s preliminary inspection found significant land movement at the rupture site near Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place in Castaic.
- The high‑pressure 34‑inch transmission line ruptured around 4:20 p.m. on Dec. 27, sending dust clouds across Interstate 5 and prompting a full closure and widespread traffic diversions.
- SoCalGas isolated the damaged segment and stopped the leak with no signs of ignition or explosion, and fewer than five non‑residential customers reported outages.
- Authorities issued a shelter‑in‑place affecting roughly 15,000 to 19,000 residents; the order was lifted later that night as I‑5 reopened after several hours.
- Investigators are focusing on slope instability likely linked to recent heavy rains, with experts pointing to visible landslide features, as utility crews assess damage and plan repairs.