Suspected Petroleum Spill Shuts Down U Of MN Campus

MINNEAPOLIS — A major portion of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus was evacuated and temporarily shut down Tuesday afternoon following a "suspected petroleum spill" in the sewer system, state authorities said. No injuries have been reported.

Among the buildings evacuated were Williams Arena, Huntington Bank Stadium, the McNamara Alumni Center, Aquatics Center, Recreation Center, Mariucci Arean, and the Maturi Sports Pavilion.

The Campus Connector buses, the University Avenue Circulator, and the East Bank Circulators were suspended.

The Minneapolis Fire Department was called to the area of Oak and Fifth streets southeast just after 11 a.m. about a gas smell coming from the sewer. The fire department’s hazmat team responded to the scene, and evacuations of buildings both on and off campus began.

"Emergency Update: @MinneapolisFire considers the levels of petroleum hazardous," the University of Minnesota tweeted. "Please stay out of the designated area."

"If you were in the evacuation zone, emergency personnel would have contacted you," the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said on Twitter. "Officials have begun flushing the sewers and have taken active steps to mitigate the risk to the public."

The state hazmat team also responded to take samples of the liquid. The state fire marshal division and Met Council crews responded as well.

As of 3 p.m., all areas where toxic readings were found had been evacuated, investigators said. By 5 p.m., Minneapolis fire officials gave the "all-clear" to reopen the university buildings that were evacuated earlier Tuesday.

The cause of the petroleum leak is under investigation. Officials say that if anyone in the area smells a gas odor, they should call (612) 624-COPS (2677).