A truck backed into and sheared off a natural gas pipe shortly after 1 p.m. today at the base of Cyclotron Road, causing the shutdown of Berkeley Lab’s main Blackberry Gate. Due to the escaping fumes, Berkeley Fire Department officials established a perimeter around the area into which no vehicles or pedestrians could go.

As of 2 p.m., it was estimated that repairs would take several hours once the Pacific Gas and Electric trucks arrived on the scene. In the meantime, departures from Berkeley Lab by buses and private vehicles will be through the Strawberry Gate and, as of 3 p.m., the Grizzly Gate. Drivers are urged to enter and exit in an orderly fashion.

Laboratory cars parked in the east Foothill lot along Cyclotron Road should drive through the Blackberry gate and out one of the two other exits.

No injuries from the accident were reported, and no one from Berkeley Lab was affected. The incident took place at the access driveway to the Foothill dormitories. PG&E workers will be digging up the roadway to make repairs, so it is unknown how long the Blackberry gate will be inaccessible. Lab employees are urged to avoid the Gailey/Cyclotron intersection, at least until later this evening or tomorrow.

A public address announcement will be made when full Laboratory access is restored.

Berkeley Lab security officers and fire fighters were first on the scene, joined soon thereafter by members of the University of California and Berkeley city police departments.