Crime & Safety
Gas Leak Forces Evacuations in West St. Pete
The leak is suppose to be repaired around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Several streets in west St. Petersburg have been evacuated due to a gas leak from a six-inch line.
According to St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue the evacuations are:
- The strip center located on the Southside of Central Ave is evacuated between 72nd and 73rd Street.
- Park Street Shell Gas Station - Shut down
- Park Street - 73rd Street on Central Avenue closed to traffic
- Park Street - 1 Avenue South - Evacuated
- Park Street - Central - Evacuated
Firefighters responded to a report of a gas leak in the alley between 73rd Street and 1st Avenue South around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. After arriving they found a six-inch line leaking profusely in the area of a "boot" next to the saddle valve underground, a news release said.
According to St. Pete Fire & Rescue, they are working diligently to slow the leak as TECO moves heavy equipment into the area.
Firefighters have been able to shut down a feeder valve on the west side of the leak but TECO still needs crimp the pipe east side of the leak to fully stop the leak, authorities said.
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