****UPDATE: Officials reopened all lanes of Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard on Monday afternoon.****
A gas leak has closed Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard at Hillsborough Street Monday morning.
Chapel Hill Fire crews were dispatched to the scene around 10:50 a.m.
There is no word on the severity of the leak or when repairs will be complete. Officials are asking motorists to avoid the area until further notice.
Police confirmed that the Run-In-Jim’s gas station and Midtown Market complex – which houses Flyleaf Books and Root Cellar – have been evacuated as a precaution. Officials said a 2-inch gas line was the cause of the leak and that PSNC was aware of the situation.
Orange Water and Sewer Authority confirmed in a release that the line was damaged “during work by an OWASA contractor.”
Police officials said that one southbound lane of MLK was opened just after 12:30 Monday afternoon. All northbound lanes remain closed. The update from police also noted that PSNC had stopped the leak.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines