Gas line explosion in Castaic prompts 5 Freeway closure, shelter-in-place order

Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times on Dec 27, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County firefighters were responding to a gas line explosion in Castaic on Saturday, which prompted California Highway Patrol to close a portion of the 5 Freeway and the fire department to order residents to shelter in place.

There were no injuries, said Fire Capt. Brian Kight.

Los Angeles County Fire Department received multiple reports of the explosion around 4:20 p.m. near Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place, just south of Northlake Hills Elementary School.

Shortly after that, L.A. County Fire Department Station 149, a mile down the road, reported smelling gas. Kight said he could smell the gas from “20 minutes out.”

The CHP indefinitely closed all lanes of the 5 Freeway at 5:12 p.m. On the social platform X, the CHP said all northbound traffic would be diverted to State Route 126, and all southbound traffic to State Route 138.

Traffic along the 5 has remained at a near standstill for more than 90 minutes.

The shelter in place order, issued at 5:40 p.m., spans much of Castaic and advises residents to close all doors, windows and vents, and shut off HVAC systems.

By 6 p.m., the gas company had shut off both sides of the broken gas line, but firefighters and a hazmat task force continued to respond a residual leak.

The cause of the explosion is unknown.

(Staff writer Daniel Miller contributed to this report.)