Seattle’s Pioneer Square area evacuated Friday morning for gas leak
Oct 19, 2018, 8:57 AM | Updated: 3:53 pm
Seattle Fire Department reports that a gas leak occurred at a construction site in Pioneer Square. (Seattle Fire Department)
(Seattle Fire Department)
Several blocks around Seattle’s Pioneer Square were closed and buildings were evacuated after a natural gas leak was reported Friday morning.
The gas leak has been secured.
“As a precaution we are evacuating the areas of 1st and 2nd Avenue from Yesler Way all the way to Columbia Street,” said Kristin Tinsley with the Seattle Fire Department shortly after the gas leak was reported. “So we are asking everyone to avoid that area and also for traffic to take alternate routes.”
The department says a gas pipe ruptured at a construction site near 1st Avenue and Cherry Street shortly after 8 a.m. Crews shut down streets from Yesler Way to Columbia Street on 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue. Buildings were evacuated along that stretch, too.
Tinsley said crews evacuated “quite a few blocks,” and that an 7-8 inch gas main was struck, “which is fairly large.”
“Any time we have a natural gas leak, it could be a dangerous situation,” she said. “So we want to make sure we are careful and get people out of the area.”
The fire department reported that the gas leak was secured by 9:17 a.m.
Andrew Padula with Puget Sound Energy says the fire department notified PSE about the gas leak around 8:17 a.m. and that a third party ruptured an 8-inch pipe.
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