ETNA, Pa. — A natural gas leak in Etna prompted nearby businesses to evacuate Thursday afternoon.
Officials said crews working to repair a sewer line punctured a gas line about noon Thursday along High Street.
Three businesses near the intersection of Butler and High streets were evacuated while crews worked to repair the line.
Authorities said a utility worker in the hole was immediately overcome by the sickening fumes of uncapped natural gas but didn’t have to go to a hospital.
“It does scare you, especially when you got this big enough building,” Jean Peterson, owner of a Butler Street bar, said. “They told me I wasn’t allowed back in. The gas was really bad, it was overwhelming.”
Officials said by 12:30 p.m. gas was no longer pouring from the punctured pike, but firefighters were called to ventilate nearby businesses.
Gas crews are still assessing the damage.