Feb. 12--A massive gas leak that forced thousands of Porter Ranch residents from their homes was finally capped on Thursday -- and residents said they immediately smelled the difference.
The air smelled faintly of wok-fried Asian food and sizzling In-N-Out burgers -- but, as several residents pointed out -- it did not smell of gas.
"Mom, I don't smell anything," 7-year-old Aaron Paull said as his mother, Michele, pushed a shopping cart into a Ralphs grocery store.
The Paulls were not among the thousands of residents who relocated because of the leak, though Aaron did switch schools and the area smelled foul on and off.
FULL COVERAGE: Porter Ranch gas leak>>
But that didn't stop the postcards from lawyers from filling their mailbox or prevent the online finger-pointing between those who moved and those who didn't, and those who got to move to mansions and those who were sent to apartments.
Paull, 46, welcomes the news of the temporary stoppage because she hopes it means "the fear level will go down" and "people will start thinking about this a little bit more clearly."
"The level of fear I saw online at times felt a little overblown," she said.
Now, she hopes "we can all return to lives.... I'm hoping today we can all become a community again," she said.
"Today is the start of a new era where we can now rebuild our community," she said. "The gas company can fix their mistakes and we can all live happily ever after."
matt.stevens@latimes.com
