Construction worker ruptures line, resulting in gas leak in Central EP

Some scary moments for homeowners in the Central part of El Paso when a construction worker struck a gas line causing a leak early Thursday afternoon.

That leak sent gas spewing into the neighborhood on the corner of Louisiana and Mobile avenues.

A homeowner, William Belay, took his dog out for a walk and quickly noticed the smell. He lives in an apartment complex directly across the street from where firemen, a hazardous material crew, and Texas Gas service workers were trying to stop the gas from leaking.

“Just standing here, I smell that smell getting stronger. If it gets any stronger, I’ll probably take my wife out of the apartment,” said Belay.

Belay told ABC-7 his wife is a smoker, and handicapped, which raised his concern level a little higher.

According to Enrique Aguilar with the El Paso fire department, Texas gas Service workers used a monitor to determine if there were sufficient Carbon Monoxide chemicals in the neighborhood to warrant evacuating Belay and his neighbors.

It was determined Belay and his neighbors could stay in their homes.

Workers were able to stop the leak, which gave homeowners a sigh of relief.