Residents in Kyle, Texas, were briefly forced to leave their homes after a gas leak set off a series of evacuations Wednesday, according to city officials. At least three houses on Purple Martin Avenue had to be cleared out as emergency services and CenterPoint Energy workers rushed to address the issue. The gas leak was reported shortly before 2:15 p.m., with Purple Martin Ave. being shut down between Northern Flicker Street and Song Sparrow Cv.
The situation was serious enough to quickly and immediately evacuate residents but was handled efficiently by the emergency teams. CenterPoint was already on site to repair the leak, as reported by the City of Kyle on KXAN.
In a related incident, evacuation orders were also issued after a gas leak was detected at the intersection of Wetzel and Mather, where city officials indicated that four buildings had to be vacated. This evacuation was likewise taken as a preemptive move "out of an abundance of caution," with officials urging people to stay clear of the area.
By Thursday afternoon, the situation had been sufficiently contained to allow residents to return to their homes. CenterPoint crews were still working on repairs, though streets had been reopened and all evacuations had been lifted, as noted by the City of Kyle through KVUE. The cause of the gas leaks had not been determined at the time.
As the community breathes a sigh of relief, they also wait for answers as to what may have caused the disruption to their day and the risk to their safety. City officials and CenterPoint Energy are likely to continue their investigation into the incidents to prevent such occurrences in the future.
