Utility says crews had to hand dig gas shut-off

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Utility crews had to hand dig underground to shut off gas flowing to a fire that raged in a San Francisco neighborhood.

A spokeswoman for Pacific Gas & Electric, Melissa Subbotin, says that’s why it took more than two hours to shut off the gas that fed the flames Wednesday.

Subbotin says crews were able to “squeeze” a 4-inch plastic gas line to eventually turn off the flow. She says crews also used a manual shut-off.

She says PG&E had to weigh the risk of shutting off a bigger transmission line, which could have turned off gas to the entire city of San Francisco on a relatively cold day.

PG&E says about 300 gas customers are without service and about 2,500 are without electricity.