Ruptured Gas Line Prompts Evacuation of High School

HEMET - A natural gas leak caused by construction activity outside Hemet High School prompted the evacuation of 2,500 students today.

Crews working in the 41700 block of Stetson Avenue punctured a 2 1/2- inch line while digging in the area, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The rupture occurred around 9:20 a.m., not long after classes had begun at Hemet High. A fire captain detected a ''heavy odor of natural gas'' on arriving at the location, leading to the precautionary evacuation of students, a fire department official said.

The gas was summarily turned off, and within an ho...