Boulder Justice Center evacuated due to natural gas odor - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder Justice Center evacuated due to natural gas odor - Boulder Daily Camera
A natural gas odor led to an evacuation at the Boulder Justice Center at 1777 Sixth St. .
There were no injuries reported and the cause of the natural gas smell remains under investigation.
At 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, deputies detected a “strong” natural gas smell, which then prompted the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office investigators to evacuate the building.
Boulder Fire-Rescue determined that the natural gas was most likely being sucked into the building by numerous air handlers. The fire department was dispatched to several other areas around the Justice Center for similar complaints.
The Justice Center will remain closed Wednesday evening but will re-open at 8 a.m. Thursday.
Related Knowledge Center: Methane
As the production of natural gas from shale fields has expanded, so have methane emissions. U.S. methane emissions grew 27 percent from 1990 to 2009, according to the Energy Information Administration. Methane contributes about 10 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and is 25 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.