Residents and businesses dealing with aftermath of Mission Valley gas leak

MISSION VALLEY (KUSI) — Residents and businesses continued to recover Thursday in the aftermath of a massive gas leak that shut down Mission Valley most of Wednesday afternoon.

Flatiron Construction released the following statement, thanking local emergency responders for their quick action.

“On Wednesday, a subcontractor working on behalf of Flatiron Construction on the State Route 163/Friars Road interchange project, struck a 20-inch high-pressure gas line. Flatiron Crews working on site immediately activated the appropriate emergency response protocol. Flatiron is conducting a full investigation and cooperating with Caltrans as it conducts its own investigation.

We want to thank the local emergency responders, the City of San Diego, San Diego Gas and Electric and Caltrans for their quick response. We are grateful that no one was injured as a result of this incident. We also want to thank the traveling public, residents and businesses affected for their patience throughout the incident.”

California Highway Patrol officers began closing state Route 163 between Interstates 8 and 805 around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, about an hour after reports came in that natural gas was emanating from a severed line near the corner of Friars Road and Ulric Street.

The intersection is just west of the Friars Road exit of state Route 163.

Friars was closed through the area between the Fashion Valley Mall and Frazee Road.

By 8 p.m., the SR-163 was back open and evacuations lifted.