NewsLeak

A gas leak was reported at a local high school in New Bern, North Carolina, forcing school officials to keep students out of the building and miss class.

In an interview with WNCT, school spokesperson Mark Dail said school crews were repairing a deep fryer in the kitchen when a gas line was accidentally ruptured. In response to the leak, students were evacuated from the building immediately while firefighters entered the school to conduct air samples. After 20 to 25 minutes, firefighters determined the building was safe and the students could re-enter and resume classes.

A gas leak at Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu, however, caused a fire. Similar to the school's gas leak, the leak in the hotel was believed to have started behind the kitchen's oven. Firefighters and gas service representatives were called to the scene and promptly shut off the gas supply to the restaurant to keep guests safe and to make repairs, KITV reported.

When the gas leak ignited into flames, fire alarms went off throughout the hotel and guests were instructed to remain in their rooms and not evacuate. Because several guests said a fire alarm did not alert them of the incident, fire safety crews plan to return to the hotel to ensure all staff understand the proper protocol in the event of another leak or fire, the source reported.

A gas leak was recently discovered in downtown Lafayette, California. The broken natural gas line stretches down Mt. Diablo Boulevard and forced local gas workers to shut turn off the line as they made repairs.

The Contra Costa Times reported the break was first reported in front of a bank, and police immediately closed Mt. Diablo Boulevard from Oak Hill Road to Lafayette Circle. Two buildings in the area were also evacuated as a safety precaution.

Another gas leak was reported in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, closing the northbound lanes of State Route 256. Crews were called in to make repairs, after a construction crew accidentally struck the gas line and caused the leak. The ramps leading onto the highway were closed as well, but traffic as resumed since the repairs were completed.

Baltimore water crews were recently called to help locate the source of a mysterious flow of water at a Towson intersection. Residents in the area have lived with a small trickle of water constantly flowing on the north side of the intersection moving downhill to the west. On cold days, the stream freezes, which could pose a possible ice hazard for drivers. Thus, city workers were contacted to identify and fix the water leak.

At a Greater Towson Council of Community Associations meeting, Baltimore Councilman David Marks said he informed the city's department of public works about the possible leak and asked that they investigate the matter further, the Towson Patch reported.

Water woes are affecting other Baltimore residents as well. The Baltimore Sun recently reported that Lisa Potteiger received an inflated water bill, likely the result of a water leak. Potteiger believes the home's previous owner should pay for the bill, as she did not know about the leak when she moved in. However, until the matter is resolved, Potteiger will continue to receive large bills from the water provider.