4 p.m.The Wal-Mart Supercenter in American Canyon was evacuated this afternoon when a forklift operator hit a gas line outside the building, causing a gas leak, according to the American Canyon Fire Department and PG&E. No one was hurt.

Delivery truck driver Eugene Watte was waiting to have a flat tire changed when he saw the forklift operator hit something.

“All of a sudden, there was a high-pressure sound. I ran and he ran,” he said.

The forklift broke a fitting when it hit the gas line, said American Canyon Fire Capt. David Franquelin, whose department was called in at 1:09 p.m. Police blocked the parking lot while PG&E crews repaired the line.

An unknown amount of gas escaped into the air after the Wal-Mart forklift hit the service line, according to PG&E.

“It does appear that there was a brief leak but it (also) does appear it was repaired within minutes,” PG&E spokeswoman Katie Romans said.

Customers said they were told to abandon their baskets, leave the store and stay away as far as possible because of the gas leak, shoppers said as they waited in the parking lot of the store at Napa Junction.

People left the store calmly, said Wal-Mart shopper Trish Mallo of Benicia as she waited in the parking lot for the store to re-open.

As fire personnel left the scene, about 50 shoppers waited for the doors to reopen. The doors reopened at 2:40 a.m.

Mike Sellick, Wal-Mart’s store manager, declined comment.

3 p.m. update -- PG&E officials state a service line was struck by the forklift, causing the gas leak and the 75-minute-long evacuation of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in American Canyon.

2:30 p.m. update -- The American Canyon Wal-Mart Supercenter that had been evacuated due to what police on scene say is a high-pressure gas leak is reopening.

The leak was behind the rear of the store -- on the southeast side -- caused by what police said was a gas main hit by a forklift.

Employees were called back to the front of the store at 2:30 p.m. to prepare to go back to work. Customers were asked to leave at about 1:15 p.m.

Register staff on scene reported American Canyon police had at least one entrance to the supercenter blocked and employees waiting outside. PG&E crews arrived to fix the leak. Traffic on Highway 29 appeared to move normally throughout the hour-long episode.

Check back later for more information.