Albuquerque – On Wednesday, June 5th, 2024, at approximately 12:50 PM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) crews responded to reports of a natural gas leak at the intersection of Constitution and Alvarado NE.
Upon arrival, AFR found a local company that had accidentally struck a gas line while digging in the street, causing a natural gas leak. Tragically, during the process of securing the leak, the gas ignited, posing a threat to nearby equipment, vehicles, and homes.
Due to the severity of the situation and the potential for significant damage, AFR requested a first alarm dispatch for additional resources. NM Gas was also on scene and determined that to stop the leak permanently, they would need to shut off the gas line at two additional locations. They planned to accomplish this by excavating the gas line away from the fire.
AFR personnel provided critical support for these operations. While NM Gas worked to shut off the gas flow, AFR firefighters contained the fire and protected nearby homes and vehicles from catching fire.
Once NM Gas successfully isolated the leak and stopped the natural gas flow, AFR extinguished the fire. NM Gas crews are now working to repair the damaged gas line. Unfortunately, this incident will temporarily affect gas service to residents in the 1800 block of Alvarado NE. NM Gas is working diligently to restore service as soon as possible.
Firefighters brought the fire under control within approximately one and a half hours. They evacuated several residences in the area as a precaution, but residents have now returned to their homes.
Thankfully, there were no injuries to any AFR personnel. One civilian sustained minor injuries but did not require transport to the hospital.