Backhoe Cuts Gas Line at Indio High School, 2,000 Students and Faculty Temporarily Evac'd

A backhoe driver struck a natural gas line at Indio High on Wednesday morning and about 2,000 students and faculty were evacuated temporarily while utility workers mitigated the leak, a Cal Fire spokeswoman said in a statement.

The accident was reported at 9:50 a.m. Sept. 11 at Indio High School in the  81700 block of Avenue 46, Jody Hagemann of Cal Fire-Riverside County said in a statement.

A backhoe struck a 4-inch pressurized natural gas line and temporary evacuations were taken as a precaution, Hagemann said.

Gas Company workers mitigated the leak and by 10:50 a.m. students and faculty were back in their classrooms, Hagemann said. No injuries were reported.