Austin's Northeast neighborhood faces evacuation chaos after a construction crew goofed, slamming into a gas line Thursday morning with a bulldozer, prompting immediate emergency action.
The Austin Fire Department scrambled to the scene at East Yager Lane, not far from Copperfield Drive and the I-35 corridor after their hazmat teams were alerted to the gas line rupture, and according to Austin Fire Info's social media post, they've cleared the danger zone while Texas Gas Service scrambles to contain the fiasco.
AFD responding to a hazmat task force in the E Yager Ln / Copperfield Dr area. Reported crew hit gas line with dozer. Avoid the area & stay tuned for updates on possible evacuations and safety zones. #ATXTraffic @austinmobility .@TexasGasService has been notified
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 18, 2024
Residents were hustled out of harm's way as firefighters moved door to door checking for perilous gas levels in the areas neighboring the leak, residents of the area had nerves on edge as the smell of gas lingered and the sound of sirens echoed off the asphalt.
In what can only be called an all-hands-on-deck approach, Texas Gas Service was promptly looped in to tackle the breakage, and local traffic authorities advised avoiding the accident-prone area, echoing through social media channels and rattling the local community, according to a report by FOX 7 Austin.
The situation remains fluid, with updates promised as crews continue to wrestle the broken gas line into submission and ensure the neighborhood's safety is restored, assuring a return to normalcy for the rattled residents of Northeast Austin.
