‘Dangerous levels’ of natural gas prompt evacuations in downtown Louisville | Local News

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Several buildings in downtown Louisville, including Metro Hall, were evacuated Tuesday morning as firefighters investigated a gas leak in the area.

Crews from several agencies swiftly responded, and the danger had passed by 2 p.m., according to a post from Louisville Metro Emergency Services. 

The Louisville Fire Department, Metropolitan Sewer District and LG&E responded to the 200 block of South 5th Street, between Jefferson and Liberty streets after receiving reports of a leak around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday.

“There was a strong smell as I was walking to my parking space,” said Allan Rubin, who evacuated one of the nearby buildings. “Through the alley and to the building, there was definitely a strong smell of gas.”

Crews arrived at the scene and began testing the air. They quickly discovered high levels of gas inside buildings and outside, including inside sewers. Louisville Fire Assistant Bobby Cooper said in a media briefing Tuesday afternoon that tests showed LEL levels (lower explosive limit) were above 10%, indicating the possibility of an explosion.

“We quickly picked up on dangerous levels — high levels — of natural gas outside and inside buildings as well as within the sewer system,” Cooper said. 

Officials then declared a Level 2 Hazmat emergency and evacuated several buildings in the area, from 5th Street to 6th Street and Jefferson and Market streets. About 40 Louisville firefighters responded, including two Hazmat crews and eight units, Cooper said. 

Crews with monitoring equipment then entered the buildings and began ventilating by opening windows. The evacuations didn’t affect Louisville Metro Corrections, the judicial center, city hall, or any buildings west of 6th Street. 

No injuries were reported, but Cooper said a bystander was treated for an asthma attack near 6th and Jefferson streets, but he wasn’t sure that was related to the leak. 

MSD officials assisted Louisville Fire crews by opening manhole covers to check gas levels and provide ventilation. Cooper said brisk winds helped dissipate the gas, and LEL levels began to decrease significantly. 

Crews were continuing to work to determine the cause Tuesday afternoon, but Cooper said they believe the leak is coming from an 8-inch plastic line “that runs down 5th Street, between Jefferson and Market.” 

An LG&E spokesperson said crews shut off the gas to several buildings along 5th Street on Tuesday afternoon, still trying to find the exact location of the leak. They’ll have to do some excavation work to dig up part of the street, and that could last through Wednesday or later.

Cooper said the recent extreme weather could have been a factor in the leak, with several utility lines that run near each other possibly expanding and contracting as the weather fluctuated. That was not immediately confirmed. 

Cooper said there’s no longer an immediate threat of an explosion but urged people to avoid the area from 4th Street to 6th Street and from Chestnut Street to Market Street. That includes foot traffic as well as vehicle traffic. 

“It’s the middle of the afternoon, it’s a workday, and we have people that are still walking through the area,” Cooper said. “They see the fire line tape that we have up, the yellow tape. Just be cautious and understand that it is an ongoing mitigation. It’s a dangerous situation — at least it was.” 

Anyone who thinks they smell a natural gas odor in any part of the city is urged to call 911 to report it. 

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the buildings likely wouldn’t reopen Tuesday and said people who were evacuated should not try to return until at least Wednesday. 

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