Massachusetts

Gas Leak Prompts Evacuations in Methuen Neighborhood

A gas leak prompted the evacuation of an area of Methuen, Massachusetts, on Friday afternoon, according to police.

The gas leak was reported at 135 Broadway St. around 3 p.m., police tweeted. As a precaution, authorities evacuated the building and surrounding buildings and had asked motorists to avoid the area.

An odor of gas in the nearby area of 129 Center St. also forced authorities to shut down the roadway and evacuate residents as a precaution.

About an hour later, police tweeted that the source of the leak had been located and gas was shut off to the location. Residents were then allowed to go back to their homes.

Columbia Gas was working to repair the issue.

"Immediately upon detecting an odor of gas during a routine gas leak survey, crews worked with first responders to evacuate nearby building occupants. As of 4 p.m., gas has been shut off to the location of the leak and evacuated residents on Center Street are able to return to their homes. Our crews are continuing to work to ensure the safety of our natural gas distribution system and we will provide additional information as soon as it is available," read a statement from the company..

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