17 homes evacuated after gas leak in Vancouver, Washington
Seventeen homes in Vancouver, Washington, USA, were evacuated on Tuesday 24 February after a natural gas leak was reported in the city's North Image neighbourhood, according to the Vancouver fire and police departments.
Emergency dispatch logs show the leak was first reported about 09:30 near Northeast 123rd Avenue and 44th Street. Firefighters were still on scene mid-afternoon at the leak, which triggered a public alert and evacuation notice for residents within a 500-foot radius of the 4000 block of Northeast 123rd Avenue.
No injuries had been reported.
Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency and the police department asked affected residents to evacuate on foot, urging them not to start vehicles and to avoid open flames to reduce the risk of ignition. Emergency personnel closed nearby roads and requested the public avoid the area.
Meanwhile, emergency personnel worked to secure the area and mitigate the source of the leak, and air monitoring and safety assessments were also conducted.
