Southern California Gas Co

Natural gas fumes sickened dozens of children Wednesday morning at a junior high school, sending nine to the hospital with complaints of nausea and headaches. None of the cases were considered serious, authorities said. The gas odor traveled from a site three miles southwest of the school where Southern California Gas Co. was releasing gas to work on a transmission pipeline being relocated for a housing development, a company official said.

In the wake of higher natural gas prices nationwide, the Southern California Gas Co. is increasing its financial assistance programs for low-income customers. "We recognize that high gas prices are having an impact on our customers and we want to help," said Denise King, a spokeswoman for the company, the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility with about 18 million customers.