ROSENBERG, Texas – A widespread gas leak forced the evacuation of more than 50 homes in Rosenberg, Wednesday evening.
Early Thursday morning, CenterPoint Energy officials thought they had located the leak, but realized gas was still spewing into sewer lines and continued to look for a second leak.
Crews had to dig several feet deep in multiple locations to get to the underground valves and shut off gas service to 170 customers.
Late Thursday morning, crews located the larger leak, isolated it and began making repairs.
It started around 6 p.m. Wednesday, when someone smelled the gas and called the Rosenberg Fire Department.
Firefighters started to evacuate those homes around 8 p.m., and set up a shelter with the Red Cross at the First Assembly of God Church.
Some people were eventually allowed to go home as crews narrowed down the affected area.
KHOU 11 News spoke to a couple residents in the area, including one who lives right where the repairs happened.
"I woke up 7:10. I look out there to check on my car, and I see all of these things. I didn't give it a thought. Says I need a new gas pipe," said Willie Corbett. "I know it was bad – gas and boom."
Randy Zumbalt drove by the area where the leak was found. He lives a few miles from the affected area.
"I woke up twice smelling kind of the end of it and my wife did too. And we didn't know what was going on….. Anyway, I'm just glad everyone was safe, that's the main thing," said Randy Zumbalt, a Rosenberg resident.
Fire officials said by early afternoon, the repairs would be complete. After that, crews will have to check every home to make sure it is safe for their pilot lights to be relit.
CenterPoint Energy officials are investigating what caused the leak.
