Fountain Valley : San Juan Capistrano : Crew Razing Gas Station Severs Telephone Cable

A backhoe operator demolishing a gas station Wednesday morning accidentally cut two telephone cables, leaving more than 500 Pacific Bell customers without service until evening.

The backhoe was being used by a work crew to unearth the station’s three large gasoline storage tanks at Del Obispo Street and Camino Capistrano, according to telephone company officials.

“One of the cables got really chewed up,” said George Travieso, a member of the the repair team that worked throughout the day to splice an estimated 1,000 pairs of broken wires that stuck out of the 4-foot-deep hole left by the backhoe.

Service to customers along Del Obispo, between Camino Capistrano and Ortega Highway, was restored at about 7 p.m., Pacific Bell spokeswoman Linda Bonniksen said late Wednesday.

Paul Carnes, another Pacific Bell representative, said the accident occurred because the contractor for the Southland Corp., which was supervising the demolition, had failed to notify utilities 48 hours ahead of time of its plan to unearth the tanks. Carnes said the fine for failing to report digging operations can be up to $5,000.

Tony Manos, vice president of MacIntosh Construction, said he had neglected to notify the telephone company and conceded that the phone line was clearly marked.

“It was just an accident,” he said.