Gas leak closes part of Cape Girardeau street

Workers at Ole Hickory Pits, a barbecue pit manufacturing company at 333 N. Main St., reported smelling gas and evacuated their building about 10:50 a.m. Monday.

Four Cape Girardeau Fire Department stations, consisting of 16 firefighters, responded to the scene, where construction workers boring under the ground for new utility services struck a 4-inch gas line, said battalion chief Fred Vincel.

"Evacuating the structure was the smart thing for them to do," Vincel said. "We checked other dwellings in the area for more gas."

No further evacuations were required, Vincel said. Emergency personnel blocked Main Street near First Street on the north side of the rupture and near Broadway on the south side.

Ameren Missouri crews were able to cap the broken pipe about 12:45 p.m., Vincel said.

Ameren Missouri spokesman Bryan Daniels said the break cut off gas to 20 customers. He said the repair was expected to be completed Monday evening.

"We have a safety program that employees followed to a T. We had an alarm that sounded," said Ole Hickory Pits owner David Knight. "We put a high priority on safety here."

Pertinent address:

333 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO