Fort Worth police and fire departments say there is "no immediate threat" after a gas leak was reported in downtown Friday afternoon.
Police said just before 12:40 p.m. the Fort Worth Fire Department received a call about a vapor gas leak at the intersection of East 7th and Commerce streets downtown, just a few blocks away from where on Jan. 8 a suspected gas leak caused an explosion at a hotel that injured 21.
Craig Trojacek with the Fort Worth Fire Department said firefighters arrived to find people leaving and evacuating businesses and Atmos crews already working on the rupture. Trojacek said Atmos crews had been in the area doing work on a gas main for a couple of days when the rupture occurred.
Trojacek said firefighters immediately set up a hazmat station and began monitoring the air quality inside nearby businesses and that no issues were found.
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In a statement Friday afternoon, Atmos said contract crews working in the area "caused an unintentional release of natural gas" and that their crews responded to make the repair and restore gas service to the area.
After the gas was turned off strong winds quickly dissipated what was left in the air and firefighters cleared the scene.
While police said there was no immediate threat in the area, they asked that people avoid 7th and Commerce while the rupture was repaired. Atmos said people who live in the area may experience temporary traffic delays and should seek alternate routes.
Two blocks to the east of 7th and Commerce is The Young Women's Leadership Academy. In a letter to parents on Friday they said a construction crew working downtown disrupted a gas line and that, "As a safety precaution, Fort Worth city officials developed a perimeter of affected buildings, and the gas leak was immediately contained." The YWLA said they were not in the evacuation zone and that activities at the campus remained normal on Friday.
Trojacek reiterated the incident on Friday had nothing to do with the explosion that occurred last week.
On Jan. 8 an explosion blew out the first two floors of the W.T. Waggoner Building at the corner of Houston and 8th streets in downtown Fort Worth. The explosion caused significant damage to the building and sent the two floors crashing down into the sub-basement. At least 21 people were treated for injuries after the blast, including one person critically injured and treated for burns at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. There were no fatalities. While the exact cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed, officials said they believe it was related to natural gas.
Last week's explosion was a block to the south and two blocks to the west at 8th and Houston streets.
If you suspect a natural gas leak, leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and Atmos Energy's 24-hour toll-free emergency number at 866-322-8667. To learn more about natural gas home safety, visit atmosenergy.com/safety/home-safety.
