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SALT LAKE CITY — A gas leak downtown closed roads and forced evacuations Wednesday just before 5 p.m., Salt Lake City Fire Department officials confirmed.
The Cathedral of the Madeleine, located at 331 E. South Temple, was evacuated along with a residence in the area, according to Salt Lake City Fire Capt. Adam Archuleta. As of 7 p.m., the cathedral remained under evacuation.
Both directions of South Temple near the cathedral were closed for several hours Wednesday evening. As of 10 p.m., the road was reopened, but B Street near the cathedral remained closed.
Residents in the area could access their homes.
A contractor bored through an underground commercial gas line about 5 p.m., causing the leak, Archuleta said.
Dominion Energy crews arrived on scene about 5:30 p.m. Gas was still leaking in the area as of 7 p.m., but it was shut off before 8 p.m., according to Dana Peterson, spokeswoman for Dominion Energy.
Dominion Energy crews had been waiting for the rest of the utility companies with lines running underground in the area to mark them with stakes before they begin digging to pinpoint exactly where the leak is, Peterson explained.
Both Dominion Energy and Salt Lake City fire crews were on scene monitoring the air and the leaking gas before it was shut off.
Officials weren’t concerned about a buildup of gas causing a possible explosion because the leaking gas was dissipating into the air through a storm drain.
Peterson said she didn't know how long it would take to repair the gas line.
Contributing: Mehul Asher, KSL
