Gas Leak Scare in Tijuana Parking Structure

On the morning of August 25, Tijuana bomberos arrived en masse, sirens howling, at the soon-to-be completed multistory parking structure next to the Las Pulgas nightspot located at the intersection of Avenida Revolución and Calle 7. 

Saturday-morning coffee-drinkers at the 7-Eleven and morning-line horse-players were momentarily distracted from their activities at the Jai Alai Palace just across the street.

Calles 7 and 8 were blocked from traffic as the four trucks and an ambulance, plus several police cars, arrived on the scene at around 9:20 a.m. A dozen firefighters stormed the enormous structure through the main entrance on the ground floor.

Firefighters entered the parking structure wearing gas-masks and had oxygen tanks strapped to their backs, and gas could be smelled in the air at the intersection. A firefighter with hose in hand stood near the entrance of the structure, in case the gas should ignite. Construction workers in the upper stories peered down, observing the arrival of the firemen and their equipment.

Anxious spectators inside the 7-Eleven wondered what the hubbub was all about and searched for smoke or flames emanating from the building. Finally, someone came in from the street shouting that all were safe, that it was only a gas leak, and that the problem had been resolved.

Emergency vehicles remained onsite for at least an hour.