MINNEAPOLIS — Evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday evening at the University of Minnesota and surrounding buildings and businesses, following a multi-agency response to a petroleum spill in the sewer system.
Earlier in the day, Minneapolis Fire ordered the evacuation of Williams Arena, Huntington Bank Stadium, the McNamara Alumni Center, the Aquatics Center, Recreation Center, Mariucci Arena and the Maturi Sports Pavilion. Other businesses in the area were also evacuated.
Officials are now warning people who are returning to their homes and businesses to call 911 if they continue to smell gas.
During a press conference just before 3 p.m., Minneapolis Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker said the department was initially called to the area of 5th and Oak Streets around 11:30 a.m. after someone reported the smell of gas coming from the sewer. Met Council contractors working in the area had reported a "high petroleum smell and a visual of petroleum" in the sewer tunnel, Minneapolis Fire said in a tweet.
Hazmat and emergency response teams, including university police, Minneapolis police, staff from the Met Council and local sewer and water agencies continue to monitor the area for petroleum levels Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency responders are working to determine the source or location of the petroleum leak. State Fire Marshal Jim Smith said there's a "significant amount of petroleum product in the sewer lines," but crews still don't know exactly what kind of product it is.
People should continue to stay away from the East Bank Campus. Emergency responders have notified people in the evacuation area that they need to relocate. According to Rucker, crews are monitoring the following areas for petroleum readings:
- East Hennepin Ave. from Hoover to Stinson to 33rd Ave. NE
- 18th Ave. to Elm St.
- 4th St. and University from 14th Ave. to Oak St.
At this time, no injuries have been reported. Rucker also asked people living in the area to run water in every sink and floor drain in their home to help flush the petroleum product through the sewer.
This is the second gas leak to impact the U of M campus in recent weeks. On Thursday, June 30, there was a fire and gas spill in a nearby sewer line, which blew manhole covers out of the street along University Avenue.
Multiple buildings on along Fraternity Row, between 15th Ave. SE and Oak Street SE and Pillsbury Drive SE to 4th St. SE were evacuated in that incident. No one was injured, but at the time Met Council staff said they'd continue to monitor conditions in the sanitary sewer system as well as the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Paul, which handles the sewage that flowed from the explosion area.
Tuesday, Rucker confirmed city officials still haven't identified the source from the June gas leak.
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more details as new information becomes available.
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