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South Valley gas leaks force people to evacuate senior housing complex
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More than 100 people were displaced Monday night by gas leaks inside a South Valley housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities.
No one was reported injured or complained of sickness. The cause of the leaks “has yet to be determined,” Bernalillo County spokesman Randy Harrison said.
New Mexico Gas Co. learned about the leaks during a service call from an El Centro Familiar resident who complained of a “concerning smell,” he said. The complex is at 2210 Centro Familiar SW, west of Isleta between Arenal and Blake.
Inspectors said the leaks came from two pods, which caused 112 residents and an unknown number of pets to be evacuated, Harrison said.
The residents were sent to a hotel, where they will spend at least a week “because the leaks are thought to have been active for some time and the repair job will be significant,” he said.
“The safety of the neighborhood and all concerned parties is our first priority,” County Public Safety Deputy Manager Greg Perez said in a statement. “We will work to ensure the needs of these displaced individuals are met as they are relocated to a safe, secure location.”
El Centro Senior Housing Complex, an income-based gated community for people 55 and older with 54 units, was built in the 1980s.
