Pioneer Square Gas Leak Closes Streets, Businesses

An underground gas leak in Seattle’s Pioneer Square cleared shops and streets Saturday while crews worked to repair the damage.

A shop employee smelled gas and called police about 9:30 a.m. Authorities cleared nearby streets while shop owners and customers were told to leave the area.

Businesses reopened by mid-afternoon, but crews learned that a crack in an underground line was bigger than they thought. They remained at the scene Saturday night.

The line was cracked all the way through and crews worked to divert the gas through a temporary line, said Dorothy Bracken of Puget Sound Energy.

No injuries were reported.