Multiple homes evacuated after gas leak in Vandalia neighborhood

VANDALIA — UPDATE @11:20 P.M.

Many homes were evacuated after a gas leak in a local neighborhood on Saturday night.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, Vandalia officers and firefighters responded around 6:45 p.m. to the 1000 block of S. Drive after reports of a natural gas leak.

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News Center 7’s Malik Patterson said the area was surrounded by red caution tape.

Bryan Sowers, City of Vandalia Division of Fire spokesperson, told News Center’s Malik Patterson that they blocked off Dixie Drive between Crestwood Hills Drive to East Alkaline Springs Road.

“A resident was doing some construction work. He had the thought that the lines were marked. Apparently, they were off just a little bit,” he said.

Three homes were evacuated.

CenterPoint Energy also responded to the scene.

Crews clamped off the leak. Their next issue was finding the valve to the gas line, shutting it off, and making repairs.

Sowers told Patterson that if anyone is going to do their own construction, please contact CenterPoint Energy.

“Having the utilities marked so that this doesn’t happen,” he said.

News Center 7 contacted CenterPoint Energy about the gas leak. They gave us this statement.

“This evening, a natural gas line was damaged by a third-party unrelated to CenterPoint Energy in the 1000 block of North Dixie Drive in Vandalia. The Vandalia Fire Department evacuated three nearby homes as a precaution. North Dixie Drive between Crestwood Hills Drive to East Alkaline Springs Road is now open after CenterPoint personnel worked closely with local emergency officials to make the area safe.

Safety is our top priority, and we urge customers in the area to be on alert for natural gas leaks. If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too. Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. Once safely away from the area, call 911 and CenterPoint at 800-227-1376, and the company will send a trained service technician immediately."

We will continue to update this story.