Gas leak in Fremont near Interstate 680 prompts evacuations, traffic controls

A gas leak in Fremont near Interstate Highway 680 on Tuesday afternoon forced some evacuations and a rerouting of street traffic onto the freeway, authorities said.

The Fremont Police Department issued an advisory just after 3:30 p.m. to avoid northbound Mission Boulevard at Highway 680 and Curtner Road between Mission Boulevard and Klamath Street because of the gas leak. 

Northbound Mission Blvd. traffic was being directed onto I-680, while southbound Mission Blvd. traffic was unaffected, police said.

Several homes in the area of Curtner Road in the Vineyards-Avalon neighborhood were evacuated, according to police.

The traffic restrictions in the area were expected to remain for several hours. 

There was no immediate word on the cause of the gas leak.