Methane Gas Forces Yorba Park Closure

City officials closed Yorba Park on Friday after routine testing showed a leak of low levels of methane gas.

The park, on Chapman Avenue at the Costa Mesa Freeway, was built on top of a landfill and has long given the city headaches.

Officials said they do not believe the gas leak poses a hazard, but they decided to close the park temporarily until a more thorough analysis is completed by the Orange County Health Department.

Methane is a colorless and odorless but flammable gas formed by decaying plant matter.

Irma Hernandez, an assistant to the city manager, said this was a good time to try to resolve some of the park problems since none of the local sports teams are using it on a regular basis.

The results of further testing should be available in about two weeks, she said.