IRVINE – Northwood High School and about 200 homes were evacuated after fire officials discovered a gas leak at a construction site nearby, authorities said.

No injuries were reported and the gas leak did not ignite, but authorities decided to evacuate people after spotting a significant amount of gas escaping from a punctured natural gas line.

Crews pinched off the gas line and had the leak under control by 5:15 p.m.

Orange County Fire Authority officials were called just after 11:30 a.m. when construction workers found they had punctured an underground 8-inch gas line near Portola Parkway and Yale Avenue, Capt. Marc Stone said.

“It looks like the crew saw enough gas to cause concern,” Stone said.

OCFA’s hazardous materials crew was called to test the air. Gas officials also were called to shut off the gas.

Students from Northwood High School were taken to Orchard Hills Village Center, about half a mile north of the school, where parents could pick them up, Stone said.

Officials also evacuated about 200 nearby condominiums, Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen said.

“We had a little bit of a wind change,” Stone said, and officials decided to evacuate that area as precaution as well.

Stone said the direction of the wind generally held steady, with the gas going up and over Northwood High and into the fields behind the campus, not toward the residences.

Portola Parkway was shut down to traffic in both directions at Yale Avenue during the repairs. Eastbound Portola has reopened, while at least one westbound lane will soon be opened

About a half-dozen people were assisted at a temporary Red Cross evacuation center at Woodbury Community Park at 130 Sanctuary, Engen said.

Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361