1,700 residents get erroneous evacuation alert

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities in Northern California plan to issue an apology for erroneously sending an evacuation alert to about 1,700 residents of a town near the one where a gas pipeline exploded last month.

The automated telephone message sent by the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services on Sept 9 during the San Bruno deadly gas pipeline explosion and fire was mistakenly sent again Tuesday urging East Palo Alto residents to evacuate immediately.

The San Jose Mercury News says the county office was attempting to notify residents about a public meeting on Oct. 19.

The automated message about the San Bruno explosion was the last one distributed. Emergency services coordinator Bill O’Callahan says the operator was unaware it was still in the system. He says the old message was sent while adding the new one.

East Palo Alto is about 20 miles southeast of San Bruno.