A gas line break caused by construction outside a National City Mall ignited an hourslong fire early Wednesday morning, according to fire officials.
Around 2:50 a.m., firefighters were notified that a construction crew digging for a water line had struck the primary natural gas line for the Westfield Plaza Bonita Mall just east of Interstate 805 and south of state Route 54, said National City Battalion Chief Robert Hernandez.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they learned one of the pieces of heavy equipment had created a spark that ignited the blaze “like a candle,” Hernandez said.
The fire burned roughly 30 to 35 feet into the air on the northeast corner of the mall in the parking lot next to the Nordstrom Rack and Macy’s, Hernandez said.
The mall staff inside the building at that hour, which included housekeeping, custodians and security, were evacuated as a precaution while firefighters worked to control the blaze.
“The flame was a good thing because that meant the natural gas was being controlled and not permeating into the community,” said Anthony Wagner, a spokesperson for San Diego Gas & Electric.
SDG&E worked with firefighters to crimp both sides of the gas line, Hernandez said. By 9:40 a.m., the flame was extinguished.
Two construction vehicles at the scene were damaged as a result of the fire. No injuries were reported.
Wagner said five customers inside the mall area — which included restaurants and retail stores — were affected by the gas outage. An employee at one of the unaffected stores at the mall said the shopping center had largely reopened by Wednesday afternoon.
Staff photojournalist Alejandro Tamayo contributed to this report.
