A construction crew struck a gas line in Fort Worth on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a leak that caused dozens of people to report symptoms and forced the evacuation of several nearby businesses. The strike happened in the 2700 block of Basswood Boulevard near Interstate 35W, temporarily closing the intersection of Basswood Boulevard and Old Santa Fe Trail and leaving officials unsure when the area would reopen.
Fort Worth Fire Department crews were called to the scene around 1:30 p.m., according to department spokesman Craig Trojacek, after contractors struck the line, as reported by CBS News. Businesses in a nearby shopping center began calling 911 to report gas-leak symptoms, and Trojacek said wind was pushing the gas north from the south, carrying fumes toward other businesses on the north side of the strike site. Some of those businesses reported that people inside were becoming nauseous from the smell of gas.
Dozens Treated, Daycare Children and Staff Exposed
In total, 30 adults and 17 children were treated for gas-leak symptoms, Trojacek said, though no patients were transported to any hospitals. Several children and staff at a nearby daycare were exposed to the gas, but none of them needed hospital transport either, according to FOX 4. Several businesses to the north of the strike site were evacuated as a precaution while crews worked to contain the leak.
Trojacek said crews could not immediately confirm the size of the gas line that was struck. Atmos Energy crews were on the scene alongside fire department personnel, and the intersection of Basswood Boulevard and Old Santa Fe Trail was temporarily closed as work continued. The station's report notes that crews were still working to cap the line Wednesday, and it remained unclear how long that would take or when the area would reopen.
Traffic Snarled Near I-35W
The road closures around the strike site caused traffic delays in the area as crews worked to secure the scene and begin repairs. Separately, a gas leak on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at South Main Street and West Leuda Street prompted an area evacuation, though that order was lifted just after 2 p.m. with no ongoing threat to the public, according to CBS News Texas.
In July 2025, construction workers hit a large gas line near North Main Street and Grand Avenue on Fort Worth's north side, an incident that temporarily shut down a nearby railroad and prompted the evacuation of at least one business, per the Star-Telegram. Atmos Energy technicians were repairing that pipeline while drivers were encouraged to seek alternate routes during the work. No updated timeline for reopening Basswood Boulevard had been released as of Wednesday afternoon.
