Update: Elderly Man Plows Car into Apartment, Ruptures Gas Line

Editor's note: This story was originally published at 8:35 p.m. on Monday, June 3, 2013.

Update: Just after 9 p.m., the gas line was shut down making way for police to complete their accident investigation. 
   
Original Story:

A minivan plowed into a water heater located outside of the Promontory Point Apartments in Newport Beach Monday evening, causing a gas leak, a fire captain reported.

At about 5:30 p.m., an elderly man drove the minivan 15 feet down an embankment and into a water heater closet attached to a floor level unit located at 315 Promontory Point Drive West, according to Newport Beach Fire Department Capt. Glenn White.

"The minivan was resting against the water heater closet and severed the main gas line for the building," White said. "Police and fie extracted the driver from vehicle."

About 20 people were evacuated from their apartments, including Michael Beck, who was out at dinner when the crash happened.

"You can smell a little bit of gas and there was water everywhere," Beck said. "They let us go in a grab our dogs, but they didn't tell us when we would be able to go back in.

Southern California Edison was called to shut off power, and the Gas Company was also called out to the scene.

"This is going to be hard to remedy," White said. "There's still an active gas main leak and there is a gas cloud around the building. We have fire hose lines raised and protecting against any ignitions."

Beck said the elderly man behind the wheel of the minivan lives at the Promontory Point Apartments.

He was treated and released at the scene, according to White.

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