Residents in La Marque’s Duroux neighborhood were told to hunker down Tuesday after firefighters reported a major natural gas leak and ordered a shelter-in-place for the area.
Crews set up a safety perimeter and shut down Duroux at Circle Drive and McKinney Extension, affecting the 300 to 500 block, while they worked to track down and isolate the source of the leak. Authorities did not say how long the advisory might remain in effect.
Officials' orders and closures
According to FOX 26 Houston, the La Marque Fire Department confirmed that the leak was centered in the Duroux area and that roads in the immediate zone were closed to traffic.
Officials asked residents and businesses nearby to stay indoors, keep doors and windows shut, and, if they can, switch off air conditioners and ventilation systems until crews secure the scene.
How to stay safe if you smell gas
According to CenterPoint Energy, anyone who smells natural gas should leave the area on foot, avoid using phones or anything else that could cause a spark, and call 911 and the utility’s emergency line from a safe distance.
The utility also notes that technicians generally will not relight appliances or restore service until both emergency responders and the gas company have cleared the area as safe.
Local context
As reported by Click2Houston, La Marque has issued similar shelter-in-place advisories before, including a September 2025 incident when a contractor struck a gas line. Those advisories were lifted once crews isolated the problem, a pattern that helps explain why first responders typically seal off a small area rather than order a wider evacuation for distribution-line leaks.
What residents can expect next
The City of La Marque is urging residents to keep an eye on official channels and CivicReady alerts for fresh updates. Emergency crews at the scene will decide when it is safe to reopen roads and resume normal activity.
Until an all-clear is given, people in the affected blocks are being asked to follow instructions from first responders and steer clear of the perimeter set up around the leak.
