Pier temporarily evacuated after car crashes into gas meter in Avila Beach
The driver of a Toyota Camry sedan on the Harford Pier in Avila Beach strayed from a designated parking area and smashed into a gas meter, closing a seafood restaurant on Wednesday afternoon, according to a Port San Luis Harbor District official.
Interim Harbor Manager John D’Ornellas said the incident took place about 1:30 p.m. near Mersea’s Seafood Restaurant, located on the pier.
The crash took place after the Camry “overshot the parking area and hit a gas meter adjacent to the restaurant,” D’Ornellas said.
Gas was leaking from the broken meter, so district officials “secured the gas line at the base of the pier” and turned off electricity as people in the area were evacuated, D’Ornellas said.
Two people inside the car were taken to the hospital by ambulance, D’Ornellas said.
The restaurant closed as officials responded to the incident and people inside were cleared out.
“(The area) is secure now and the pier is open again,” D’Ornellas said.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 6:09 PM.
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