Castaic's 5 Freeway: A Gas Leak, Traffic Chaos, and Lessons from the Past

The 5 Freeway in Castaic saw a major disruption on Saturday. A natural gas leak caused all lanes to close for hours. This left many drivers stuck and worried. The leak came from a big gas line near the freeway. Fire officials said the leak was stopped safely. They also said there was no explosion or fire. The cause of the leak is still not clear. Some think recent storms might have moved the land. This could have damaged the gas line. But officials are still checking. They said the gas smell would fade as the gas was turned off.The leak caused big traffic jams. Some drivers were stuck for nearly three hours. A shelter-in-place order was given for nearby areas. This affected about 14, 900 people. The order was lifted around 10 p. m. Saturday. The leak might have brought back bad memories for some. In 2015, a big gas leak in Aliso Canyon caused a lot of harm. It was the largest natural gas leak in U. S. history. People suffered health problems. Schools closed, and many had to leave their homes. Officials said the pipe was under a lot of pressure. When it broke, it released gas forcefully. This kicked up dirt and debris. Drivers could see this from the freeway.