WILMINGTON -- A gas leak forced an evacuation in downtown Wilmington Thursday.
Contract crews cleaning sewer lines on Front Street between Ann and Dock pierced the gas pipe.
City police, fire fighters and the North Carolina Natural Gas Company assisted with evacuations and advised people not to turn their cars on.
Witnesses say they knew something was wrong when they caught the smell of gas in the air.
Front Street Inn owner Polly Salinetti said, "It was very strong. I mean it was gas, and you can smell gas, and it was very, very strong smell of gas."
The gas leak has been repaired and life has returned to normal in that stretch of downtown.
This is very strange...there
This is very strange...there has never been a gas line hit here before in Wilmington...only about 1,000 times!
Gas Line break
Is it true that a second gas line was found in the sewer today after the contractor hit the first gas line in the sewer? Are there supposed to be gas lines inside sewer lines? Couldn't that be dangerous having gas lines in sewers? Are there more places in the city where this is a problem?
who needs a fan?
with gas lines in sewers and gas leaks and sewer breaks... who needs a fan for the poop to hit.
at least if they explode it makes it easy to spot a leak. if you see a smokey, smelly hole in the ground start water restrictions, raise taxes and hand out building permits like candy before the state stops you.