A gas main break near Morton Ranch Road and Bridge Lake Boulevard in Katy prompted emergency officials to order a shelter-in-place for nearby residents and businesses Friday morning, along with a closure of the roadway in both directions. Harris County Emergency Services District No. 48 issued the alert at approximately 10:30 a.m.
What Officials Are Telling Residents
Harris County emergency officials said the break happened in the area of Morton Ranch Road and Bridge Lake Boulevard, according to ABC13 Houston. The station reports that the break prompted shelter-in-place guidance for nearby residents and businesses along with the roadway closure. Officials are asking residents within a half-mile radius of the intersection to stay indoors, close their windows and doors, and remain sheltered until an all-clear is issued.
Drivers in the area are also being told to steer clear. The outlet's report notes that drivers are being asked to avoid the area and find an alternate route while crews work the scene.
Road Closed In Both Directions
Morton Ranch Road is closed in both directions in the affected area, according to KPRC2 Click2Houston, which also confirmed the timing of the alert from Harris County Emergency Services District No. 48. Motorists are being urged to find alternate routes and keep the area clear for emergency personnel responding to the break.
Neither outlet has confirmed how long the shelter-in-place guidance or the road closure will remain in effect. The duration of the shelter-in-place alert and road closure has not been confirmed, per the same Click2Houston report, and it remains unclear when officials might issue the all-clear for residents to resume normal activity.
Katy Has Seen Gas Scares Before
Katy has dealt with similar emergencies in the past. In one earlier case, a construction crew struck a gas line at Avenue D and Franz, which led to a shelter-in-place order that was later lifted, according to a separate ABC13 report. In another incident, a gas leak closed FM 1463 in both directions at the I-10 South Frontage Road until repairs allowed the roadways to reopen, as reported by Fox 26 Houston. A different shelter-in-place advisory in the area, triggered by an ammonia leak from a warehouse refrigeration line rather than a gas main, was lifted early on a Sunday afternoon, according to CBS News.
For now, residents near Morton Ranch Road and Bridge Lake Boulevard are being told to stay put and keep their homes sealed until emergency officials give further instructions. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
