Downtown businesses evacuate after gas leak
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A natural gas leak is now impacting about a dozen businesses around the 100 block of N. Davis Street near W. Forsyth Street, according to TECO Peoples Gas. The leak was reported around 8:00 Tuesday morning and contained around 5:15 that evening. Crews capped the pipe's valves at both ends, stopping the flow of gas.
TECO says they are working into the night so they can restore gas as soon as possible for the area.
According to Tom Francis with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, no evacuations were ordered, but a nearby glass company, Pilkington, did evacuate on it's own when the odor from the leak filled their building.
Francis says the gas fumes got into the building's piping, which is what created the strong odor, but he emphasized that the gas was not a threat to anyone.