Burglars Cause Intentional, Dangerous Gas Leak at Korean Restaurant

Pasadena firefighters and police officers responded to the location of Chris’ Korean BBQ at 2063 E. Colorado Blvd. Friday morning after receiving reports of a burglar alarm.  The burglar intentionally open gas valves in the restaurant before fleeing the scene.

Lisa Derderian, Public Information Officer for the Pasadena Fire Department, said initial reports indicate a burglar had broken into the restaurant and set off an alarm. Apparently, the burglar also turned on the restaurant’s gas burners.

When officers arrived, the place smelled of natural gas, Derderian said.

“We shut off the gas and the Police Department was going to conduct their investigation of the break-in, but we had to shut down the restaurant for maybe half an hour so we could ventilate the restaurant because of the odor,” Derderian said.

The firefighters kept the restaurant closed for about an hour as Pasadena police officers investigated the break-in.

“With the burners on and the gas leak, there could have easily been an explosion if there was a source of ignition,” Derderian said. “Whoever did break in intended to cause bodily harm to anybody that would have entered the restaurant, or that could have caused an explosion and cause structural damage to both that building and the adjacent ones.”

Fire department personnel made sure no ignition of the gas could occur, ventilating the area and keeping it moist with a water hose as police investigated the area, Derderian said. She added there has not been any similar incident in Pasadena in recent times.

Police are still investigating.