Natural gas leak prompted evacuation of day care, other businesses in Fort Myers Thursday - Gulf Coast News and Weather
Natural gas leak prompts evacuation of day care, other businesses in Fort Myers
Updated: 12:17 PM EDT May 1, 2025
>> RIGHT NOW, GULF COAST NEWS ON TOP OF BREAKING NEWS, FORT MYERS. POLICE ARE AT THE SCENE OF A NATURAL GAS LEAK. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER ALICIA AREAS LIVE ALONG EVANS AVENUE JUST NORTH OF COLONIAL BOULEVARD POLICE. YOU JUST ARRIVED ON SCENE. WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON? >> WELL, RIGHT HERE ON EVANS AVENUE, YOU CAN SEE THE AREAS BLOCKED OFF. THERE’S BEEN QUITE A FEW CARS THAT ARE COMING HERE AND THEY’RE HAVING TO TURN AROUND. SO OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE ARE JUST BEING INFORMED ABOUT THIS. BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS I JUST TALKED TO SEE PRESCHOOL ACADEMY, THE PRESCHOOLERS THAT SCHOOL. IT’S A BEING EVACUATED RIGHT NOW. SO ALL OF YOU PARENTS WHO ARE WATCHING YOU ARE GETTING AN ALERT. THE SCHOOL IS CALLING THOSE PARENTS NOW TO COME PICK UP THE STUDENTS. THEY’RE TAKING THEM TO A SAFE LOCATION ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PRESCHOOL. SO AGAIN, THEY WILL BE CONTACTING YOU THIS ENTIRE AREA. THERE IS A STRONG SMELL. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WILL STEP OUT OF THE WAY HERE. SO YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE WORKING ON HERE RIGHT NOW. WE’RE WORKING WITH FORT MYERS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAY EVANS AVENUE IS BLOCKED OFF FROM COLONIAL BOULEVARD TO WINKLER AVENUE. THEY’RE ASKING YOU TO SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE AGAIN FROM AS POLICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMING THAT THAT DAYCARE IN THAT AREA IS BEING EVACUATED. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THE GAS, THE MAIN LINE SHUTDOWN AND CONTAINED AT THIS TIME. BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SMELL THAT GAS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE AREA. YOU CAN SEE THERE’S A FEW CARS GOING THROUGH HERE. THERE’S NO ETA ON EXACTLY WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE OPENED UP AGAIN. FORT MYERS, POLICE SAY THEY’RE JUST TRYING TO CONTAIN THIS NATURAL GAS LEAK RIGHT NOW. SO EVANS AVENUE AGAIN BLOCKED OFF FROM COLONIAL BOULEVARD TO WINKLER AVENUE. IF YOU’RE TUNING IN TO MAKE SURE YOU SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE BECAUSE ONCE THE TRAFFIC COMES THROUGH THIS AREA, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MORE AROUND NOON IN LATER ON. THIS WILL PROBABLY BE MORE TRAFFIC THROUGHOUT THIS AREA. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY PRESCHOOLERS AT THAT ODYSSEY ACADEMY PRESCHOOL. >> JUST TO BE AWARE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK UP YOUR STUDENTS OR HAVE SOME BE ABLE TO GO GET THEM BECAUSE IT’S BEING EVACUATED RIGH
Natural gas leak prompts evacuation of day care, other businesses in Fort Myers
Updated: 12:17 PM EDT May 1, 2025
A natural gas leak has prompted the evacuation of a day care and closed Evans Avenue in Fort Myers Thursday afternoon.Odyssey Preschool Academy was evacuated shortly after 11 a.m. along with a law firm in the area.Evans Avenue is blocked off from Colonial Boulevard to Winkler Avenue.Fort Myers Police and Fire departments are at the scene, where those in the area are reporting a strong odor in the air.The Fort Myers Police Department stated that it may take several hours for the gas to be shut off and contained.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more.
A natural gas leak has prompted the evacuation of a day care and closed Evans Avenue in Fort Myers Thursday afternoon.
Odyssey Preschool Academy was evacuated shortly after 11 a.m. along with a law firm in the area.
Evans Avenue is blocked off from Colonial Boulevard to Winkler Avenue.
Fort Myers Police and Fire departments are at the scene, where those in the area are reporting a strong odor in the air.
The Fort Myers Police Department stated that it may take several hours for the gas to be shut off and contained.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more.