Local

Gas leak closes 16th Street Bridge

PITTSBURGH — Authorities closed the 16th Street Bridge about 6:30 p.m. Friday because of a gas leak, officials said.

Equitable Gas Co. spokesman Scott Waitlevertch said it appears the leak is coming from a main line on Smallman Street in the Strip District.

“As a precaution, we shut down down the bridge until we can get a valve turned off,” Waitlevertch said. “No customers are adversely affected at this point.”

Allegheny County spokeswoman Amie Downs said a contractor working in the area struck the main line.

The 16th Street Bridge goes over the Allegheny River between the North Side and Strip District. The 1,900-foot span carries about 15,000 vehicles a day, according to PennDOT data.

Further details were unavailable.

This article was written by Channel 11 News echange parteners at TribLIVE.