The source of the leak (Image: CHS)
Blocks around Broadway were closed to traffic and buildings were cleared Thursday morning as a gas leak in the central core of Capitol Hill forced police and Seattle Fire to clear the area due to fumes and fire risk. A construction crew accidentally drilled into a gas line in front of the Tully’s at Pike and Broadway shortly after 11:30 a.m. The accident released potent clouds of gas into the area, prompting SFD and SPD to shut down streets from E Pine to E Union, and from Harvard to 10th ave. SFD is unsure how long it will take to shut the line down as Puget Sound Energy is currently on the scene attempting to turn it off. People are being evacuated from the area, and businesses are being told to shut their doors.
While the smell is less than savory, the leak is not deadly. The major concern now according to SFD, is making sure a spark doesn’t ignite in the area. All construction work in the vicinity has stopped to prevent any possible ignition, and SFD is confident most of the risky variables have been eliminated. The Pike/Pine corridor is effectively a stinky ghost town now—plan on detours if you’re driving or walking by today.
CHS will provide details as they come.
People in the area are evacuating the scene, wondering who farted. (Image: CHS)
If it was in front of Tully’s it was at Pike. And I bet they closed down Pine to Union.
Yikes.
After a morning of joyous noise from the jackhammers and blue angels, I suddenly heard the crew installing the street car line begin to yell and run from the spot in front of Tullys on Broadway where they were currently drilling. Now they’re attempting to open an access hole in the middle of Broadway and Pike. So exciting.
Guess they forgot to call before digging.
It was like watching a treasure hunt, observing the PSE workers wandering around the intersection of Broadway and Pike, looking for access to stop the leak. And it is very, very stinky! I’ve got box fans in my windows, blowing OUT!! And the drill has finally been extracted and lifted from the original point of puncture. And it is a huge drill.
We were walking to QFC just as they started to cordon off the area, it certainly was a very strong odor.
I walk home up Broadway everyday from work at 4pmish (from Jefferson to Roy).
Meowzers and all, fyi a fan is a potential spark originator. Your fans could have blown up your office, building and some of the ‘hood.
Next time, you might unplug appliances that start up on their own (refer, freezers, AC fans, etc) and evacuate. We were fortunate yesterday.
Call before you dig – get the lines MARKED so you are aware of where the lines are before you dig. That is the law. If you called and someone missed a line, that is their problem, but they should be able to do better. This time, so far, no one died in an explosion.