Evacuation order lifted following reported underground explosion near U of M

MINNEAPOLIS -- Dozens of University of Minnesota students returned home Thursday night following a reported underground explosion near the Twin Cities campus. So far, there have been no reports of injuries. 

Around 9 p.m., officials lifted an evacuation order along University Avenue. The order had been in place for roughly six hours after crews descended to the 1700 block of University Avenue Southeast, where there was a fire in the basement of a three-story frat house. 

After knocking down the flames, firefighters received reports of manhole covers being blown out on the street, indicating a possible gas spill in the sewer line. University officials described what happened as an "apparent underground explosion."

This triggered a wave of evacuations for resident halls, fraternities and other establishments, such as a day care and a YMCA. 

"I rush outside and I just see all the manhole coverings all popped off," said Carter Volk, one of the evacuated residents. He told WCCO-TV that his fraternity house had been smelling like gas for days, getting worse each day. 

However, CenterPoint Energy said their crews found no natural gas leaks. Still, crews from multiple agencies stayed at the scene through Thursday evening, determined to figure out the problem and fix it. 

Crews eventually washed out the sewer line, determining that gasoline somehow leaked or spilled inside. It's still unknown how the gasoline entered the sewer system.