Seattle natural gas leak secured after prompting home evacuations - The Seattle Times

Seattle natural gas leak secured after prompting home evacuations | The Seattle Times

Seattle firefighters evacuated nearly a dozen homes Wednesday afternoon because of a natural gas leak.

People were asked to avoid the area of South Juneau Street and 48th Avenue South in the Hillman City and Seward Park neighborhoods, where the “major” natural gas leak was reported shortly before 1 p.m., according to the Seattle Fire Department 911 log. The leak was secured within roughly two hours, the department said.

Workers in the area hit a 2-inch gas main, causing the leak, according to Puget Sound Energy spokesperson Gerald Tracy. Eleven PSE customers were evacuated, Tracy said.

The scent of natural gas was heavy in the air, but authorities determined air quality was safe enough for residents to return to their homes around 3 p.m. Crews were working on final repairs around that time.

Ten customers remain without gas, but restoration is expected within “a few hours,” Tracy said later Wednesday afternoon.