Evacuation orders and a local emergency have been issued in a neighborhood in Newport Beach after local officials said they detected methane gas on Thursday morning.

Officials said the leak may have been caused by an oil intrusion from an "abandoned private oil well" under one of the properties.

SkyCal flew over the scene where officials could be seen placing red tags on several homes on the 3600 block of Marcus Avenue. The area around the homes is restricted to authorized personnel only, including emergency responders and city staff.

"Our top priority is the safety of residents and our neighborhoods," said City Manager Grace Leung. "We are taking swift action to protect the public while closely assessing the situation and coordinating with partner agencies."

Crews are working to vent

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