Gas Leak Prompts Evacuations On Woodward Ave.
ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - A Woodward Avenue pet store and a couple of other businesses were evacuated, late Wednesday morning due to a gas leak.
Northbound Woodward was closed at 11 Mile Road, after a crew doing some routine road work hit a two-inch plastic gas line.
A crew from Consumers Energy is at the scene, along with the Royal Oak Fire Department, and repairs are underway.
All lanes have since reopened to traffic.
Matt Overall, who owns Royal Tropical Fish and Bird Haven, said he was told to close the store.
He's concerned about the animals still inside.
"There's live birds in there that are worth $20,000," Overall told WWJ's Sandra McNeil, "and they can't take much gas."
Overall is also concerned about what may be going on inside the abandoned Onion Roll Deli.
"I said, 'Well, what's the possibility of my building blowing up?' And [a Consumer's Energy official] said, not likely. And I said, 'Well what about the deli out in front?' And he said there's a good chance that could blow up ... because they can't get in that building, so they don't know how much gas is building up in that building."
There have been no reports of home evacuations, although about 20 Consumers customers were told their gas service would be interrupted while repairs were being made.
A Consumers Energy crew member, at the scene at noon, said a plastic line is much easier to repair than one of the metal variety.
Repairs are expected to take at least two or three hours.
Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.
