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Gas Leak Causes Disruption In Uptown

Cole del Charco / WFAE
Officials respond to a natural gas leak in uptown Charlotte.

The Charlotte Fire Department is responding to a natural gas leak Thursday in uptown Charlotte.

According to officials, the leak occurred early Thursday afternoon when a backhoe struck a four inch gas line at the intersection of North College and East Trade streets. Hazmat crews immediately responded to the scene. A city official said no one was hurt in the incident.

The Fire Department is monitoring gas levels but has not expressed concern over the levels or announced mandatory evacuations. City spokesman Rob Tufano said it was safe for people to continue working in uptown.

Still, some businesses and workers decided to leave their uptown offices because of the perceived threat of the gas leak.

“I wasn’t forced to leave or anything like that,” Sean Kearney, who works at the Bank of America Corporate Center said, “But my boss basically said, ‘Get out of there, everybody else is leaving.’ So, my team and mostly everyone else on my floor left.”

The natural gas flowing out of the leak caused decent winds, and Kearney said he saw it blow leaves upward toward the sky.

Piedmont Natural Gas owns the gas line and is currently repairing it.

Cole del Charco is a journalist, writer and radio producer from Hickory, North Carolina.