Natural gas leak in Seattle's U-District stopped after prompting evacuations

Natural gas leak in Seattles U District prompts evacuations

The Seattle Fire Department responded to Northeast 45th Street and Brooklyn Avenue Northeast around 1:45 p.m. Monday Buildings including the University of Washington Tower are being evacuated.

SEATTLE (AP) — A natural gas leak at a construction site in Seattle's University District is prompted evacuations.

The Seattle Fire Department responded to Northeast 45th Street and Brooklyn Avenue Northeast around 1:45 p.m. Monday. Buildings including the University of Washington Tower were evacuated, but by 5:15 p.m. crews had contained the leak.

PSE says the leak was caused after a contractor struck a two-inch gas line and damaged it.

Seattle Fire expects to reopen the area around 6 p.m.

Last week, a gas leak in Seattle led to evacuations and injured three Puget Sound Energy workers. Seattle Fire says contractors were digging in the area using an excavator, which hit and ruptured a line.