Major Gas Leak in Morehead City, NC after a contracting crew with Anderson Construction Co., of New Bern, paving the Dairy Queen drive-thru damaged a natural gas meter valve

Gas leak contained

Pointing out the damage

Morehead City Fire Captain Chris Judy, left, points out the damaged gas meter with Morehead City Fire Chief Jamie Fulk, center, and Atlantic Beach Fire Capt. Casey Arthur, right, that caused an evacuation of the immediate surroundings of the 2200 block of Arendell Street Thursday morning. (Dylan Ray photo)

Posted: Thursday, June 25, 2015 9:53 am | Updated: 10:26 am, Thu Jun 25, 2015.

MOREHEAD CITY, NC

 A natural gas leak slowed the morning commute and shut down Bridges Street from 23^rd and 24^th streets in Morehead City Thursday.

A contracting crew with Anderson Construction Co., of New Bern, paving the Dairy Queen drive-thru damaged a natural gas meter valve around 8:20 a.m., according to officials on scene.

A multi-hinged tailgate on a dump truck got too near the valve, shearing it off.

“We had a pretty major leak when we arrived on scene,” Morehead City Fire Chief Jamie Fulk told the News-Times.

Morehead City and Atlantic Beach fire crews emptied the PNC Bank Plaza where Dairy Queen is located, and neighboring Handy House gas station and PNC Bank.

Crews were able to cut off the leak at the building, according to the chief, before testing the businesses for traces of natural gas.

As of 9 a.m., the Handy Mart had not been swept.

Streets opened, with traffic delays, and fire crews cleared the scene by 9:30 a.m. 

Source:www.carolinacoastonline.com