Dozens Attend Public Meeting On Porter Ranch Methane Gas Leak

WOODLAND HILLS (CBSLA.com) – A public meeting was held Tuesday night for residents affected by the methane gas leak in Porter Ranch.

Grace McMullen is one of 2,200 residents relocated from the area. She and her dog now live in a hotel in Woodland Hills.

"The reason I wanted to leave was because I started having terrible sinuses," she said. "It's very disturbing. I had to take Christmas to the hotel room."

McMullen is not part of any lawsuit against the Southern California Gas Co. But she came to the meeting at the Hilton Woodland Hills Hotel to hear what lawyers representing many of her neighbors had to say.

According to attorney Jim Frantz, 1,000 people have come forward with claims so far. During the meeting, he tackled questions about devaluation of real estate and health effects.

"We're told by a regulator that regulated these mines that if they had a safety valve on this mine, they could have stopped this leak immediately," Frantz said.

The gas company said once the leak is sealed, it'll evaluate what caused it and how much gas escaped.

A relief well is being drilled to intercept the damaged one more than 8,000 feet below ground.

Mud, water and concrete will be pumped in to stop the leak. It could be late March before the job's complete.

"Nasal stuffiness. I have a lot of headaches which I never really had," said Porter Ranch resident Anne Wieczorek.

She has lived in her home 46 years. Her family has been hesitant to move, and she hopes they won't have to.