At 10:40 a.m. Thursday morning, construction workers for Hamlett Associates Inc. struck a one-inch main gas line in front of the Hillsborough Street parking deck. Although the natural gas line was shut off at 11:05, all the businesses along Hillsborough from Pogue Street and Horne Street were evacuated. North Carolina State’s D.H. Hill Library was also evacuated a few minutes after 11 a.m. Business owners were allowed back into their buildings at 11:32 a.m.

Raleigh Fire Department, Cary EMS, Raleigh Police Department, N.C. State Police Department and PSNC utility crews all responded to the scene. No pedestrians were allowed to cross Founders Drive, and traffic was closed on Hillsborough for one hour. Rob Johnson, Battalion Chief of the RFD said the situation was not as serious as the evacuations indicated.

 ”These types of things happen when you have construction,” Johnson said. “The line was under concrete, but the leak was actually above ground. There was a lot of equipment and a lot of excitement, but this was nothing major.”

Mikey Trinh, junior in aerospace engineering, explained that the leak inconvenienced students and staff who park on near Hillsborough during summer classes.

“I came out of class and saw people standing around, and my car was in the parking deck,” Trinh said.

There were no injuries reported.