Approximately 200 residents were evacuated from their homes in Artesia earlier this morning after a suspected gas line break.
There was no fire and no injuries because of the incident, which was first reported at about 3:45 a.m., according to Richard Wheatley, director of corporate communications and public affairs with Southern Natural Gas, the company which owns the gas line.
The pipeline segment has since been isolated and no customer impacts occurred, Wheatley said.
Residents were allowed to go home at approximately 5:30 a.m., according to Cindy Lawrence, director of Columbus Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency.
The gas company activated its emergency response plan and dispatched personnel to investigate when the incident was reported. Local emergency response crews also responded to the west Lowndes County area.
“They later confirmed a release of gas to the atmosphere occurred involving an 8-inch line,” Wheatley said.
Artesia residents who were evacuated said they could smell gas in the air.
Lowndes County supervisor Leroy Brooks said he arrived at West Lowndes High School, where evacuees were gathered, sometime after 4 a.m. The evacuees were receptive and listening to the information provided by Lawrence.
“I talked to one of the volunteer firemen. He said he had gone door to door this morning knocking on doors to get people out,” Brooks said. “People were calling one another.”
Wheatley said an investigation into what caused the incident is ongoing.
Lawrence said the evacuation was successful.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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