DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County Fire and Rescue officials say they are working on a gas line rupture near Briar Vista Elementary School.
Children in the school have reportedly been evacuated. Officials say there are currently “zero readings” inside the school.
Atlanta Gas Light is assessing the situation, according to DeKalb County fire.
In the meantime, the children have been moved outside to the playground.
Officials said that the gas leak started while work crews were performing repairs on the road nearby.
“A crew was working on the roadway, I’m not exactly sure what they were repairing but they were in the roadway and they hit a gas line,” Capt. Jaeson Daniels of DCFR said. “Ruptured it and I think it was a two-inch service line, while working in the roadway.”
Daniels explained how events unfolded Tuesday afternoon.
“So today just after 12 p.m., our crew responded here to Briar Vista Elementary School, where they had a gas line struck running from the school and in the roadway,” Daniels said. “We had to evacuate a total of 60 kids and about 15 employees that were at a summer camp here at this location.”
According to officials, crews ensured the gas had not gone into any other structures, including nearby apartments.
Atlanta Gas Light arrived on the site to begin making repairs to the line.
Daniels said they are still monitoring for gas, to ensure there’s no danger, either from people getting ill from the gas, or other risks.
“We are constantly monitoring [that] there is no gas, that there is no danger, an explosion or hopefully, you know, no one will get sick from [the] gas,” Daniels said.
Repairs are still underway.