Details following gas leak during construction on State Street and Magnolia Street

Construction occurring on the intersection of North State Street and East Magnolia Street was disrupted last Tuesday afternoon, May 6, at 2 p.m. when a natural gas line was hit, as the City of Bellingham said.  

An excavator caused the leak, which was meant to break up the surrounding asphalt, when it accidentally broke the gas the line, according to the City of Bellingham. A few businesses near the construction site, including The Velvet Rope Hair Studio, had to be evacuated after the gas leak occurred. Even though no hazard was expected to harm the community, there was a slight gas odor from the release that many citizens in the area detected.

There were emergency crews on the scene including the Bellingham Fire Department, City of Bellingham Public Works, and Cascade Natural Gas. Until the leak was under control and the work to repair the gas line was completed, the crews wanted citizens to stay out of the area in order to take safe precautions. The Bellingham Fire crews monitored the gas in the air once they were on the scene but said most of the gas was dissipating, partly due to the windy conditions last Tuesday.

The repairing of the line was estimated to be completed by 6 p.m., according to the City of Bellingham website.

Construction on North State Street and Magnolia Street is ongoing due to the annual water main replacement and one-lane closures are expected to occur in the area throughout the next week.