After several hours of repairs and limiting access to West King Street due to a gas leak on Thursday, the Orange Rural Fire Department and Town of Hillsborough said the area is safe and secured.

Updates from both local entities around 4 p.m. said repairs to a damaged gas main are still ongoing along West King Street, but the leak was stopped and lingering gas in the area has dispersed. It comes after the fire department issued an alert at 11:43 a.m. telling residents to stay away and evacuating nearby homes after a “rupture” of the gas main.

“We thank the public for their understanding and cooperation when situations like these occur,” Orange Rural Fire Department said on Facebook after the incident. “Neither the town, county, fire department nor Dominion Energy created the hazard but were tasked to protect the citizens and the properties near the leak. The coordinated efforts of local government, the fire department and Dominion Energy significantly reduced the hazards to which our citizens were exposed by sending out notifications, constantly monitoring the air and controlling the leak in a timely manner.”

A spokesperson for Enbridge Gas — which recently purchased Dominion Energy — confirmed to Chapelboro excavation near the gas line is what caused the damage. Crews arrived shortly after the area was closed and the leak was secured by 2 p.m. As a result, though, residents of the surrounding neighborhood were told to keep away from several hours and traffic to West King Street and West Margaret Lane were limited through the afternoon. The intersection closest to where the damage occurred — West King Street at Occoneechee Street — is in a residential area and borders the town-owned pocket park Turnip Patch Park, which is about three blocks from downtown Hillsborough.

The Orange Rural Fire Department urged community members to sign up for the OC Alerts service in order to receive updates during emergencies like a gas leak, as subscribers can be sent messages based on their address to let them know of developing situations or incidents.

The Town of Hillsborough and Enbridge Gas each said repairs to the gas line are expected to last further into Thursday evening.

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