Gas leak evacuation ends on 29th Ave.

A backhoe digging near 29th Avenue on Spokane’s South Side struck a natural gas line, forcing a closure of 29th Avenue at Browne Street and an hourlong evacuation of the immediate area. The incident was reported at 1:37 p.m., and firefighters were on the scene shutting down the area to prevent injury or explosion. Residents in the area were being asked to evacuate, and locations for temporary shelter were being established. The evacuation ended at 2:48 p.m. Avista Utilities workers had arrived by 2 p.m. to repair the problem. A utility spokesman said the break was in a half-inch-diameter service line and that it would not take long to stop the flow of gas.