Broadway Avenue near Pines Road in Spokane Valley closed due to natural gas leak

Broadway Avenue near Pines Road in Spokane Valley was closed for several hours while crews with Avista Utilities worked to repair a leaking natural gas line.

Melanie Rose, spokeswoman for the Spokane Valley Fire Department, said at about 4:15 p.m., an independent contractor punctured underground natural gas lines under the east bound lanes of Broadway with a boring machine. Firefighters said an audible hiss of gas was released.

Broadway was completely blocked off between Pines and Wilbur roads and nine nearby buildings were evacuated. Rose said at least two of the buildings had enough gas inside to warrant power being disconnected and firefighters remaining at the scene.

Firefighters hosed down the streets where the gas was escaping while crews from Avista Utilities worked to find and secure the line, firefighters said in a news release. The Avista crews were able to shut off the gas at around 7 p.m. and then worked to repair the gas line.

There were no injuries.