Sixth Street Gas Leak Leads to Evacuations, Street Closures

UPDATE 8:40 A.M.: Washington Street has reopened to traffic. And, Northfield firefighters have returned to the station.
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UPDATE 8:30 A.M.: Xcel Energy crews have shut off the leaking gas main at the scene of Thursday morning's gas leak, scanner reports say.
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ORIGINAL STORY: A gas leak Thursday morning in the Sixth Street reconstruction area has led to evacuations of nearby buildings and the closing of a section of Washington Street.

A four-inch gas line ruptured on Sixth between Division and Washington streets, near the blocked-off entrance to Econofoods.

The leak was reported before 8 a.m., says a Northfield police reserve officer on traffic duty at the intersection of Division and Seventh streets. Clouds of dirt stirred up by the gas rushing out of the ruptured four-inch line could be seen from that intersection.

Xcel Energy crews were expected to be on the scene shortly to crimp the leak.

Econofoods employees were evacuated, as were people in buildings just north of the leak.

Northfield police and firefighters, as well as construction workers, were handling traffic control duties at intersections surrounding the leak. Washington Street was being blocked off between Fifth and Seventh streets.