LA County Public Health Department Issues Stop Work Order To SoCalGas Over Home Cleaning

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)  —  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Sunday evening issued a stop work order to Southern California Gas over their home cleaning efforts following the months-long Alison Canyon gas leak.

SoCalGas had began cleaning the homes of relocated Porter Ranch residents but the county found they weren't cleaning to specified court order, the health agency announced Sunday.

Public Health has directed SoCalGas to immediately discontinue cleaning and meet with Public Health officials on Monday to discuss how they propose to resolve the deficiencies and ensure strict compliance with the court ordered protocol.

Public Health found that the contractor was neither equipped nor trained for proper cleaning as required by Public Health.  The work will not resume until SoCalGas provides necessary assurance that it can carry out the cleaning in compliance with the Public Health protocol, the agency said.

Homes of residents who are not currently in the relocation program are not addressed in this decision but are covered by the Public Health Directive.  It is important for SoCalGas to fulfill this Directive for everyone in the impacted community regardless of relocation status, the agency said.

For more information about the gas leak, the cleaning directive and the Public Health Department, click here.