gas leak

Glebe Road Shut Down Due to Ruptured Gas Line

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Police are shutting down a large section of South Glebe Road near I-395 due to a ruptured gas line.

Initial reports indicate that a construction crew hit a 8-10 inch gas line. There was no fire.

Glebe Road is currently shut down between I-395 to the south and Walter Reed Drive to the north. The ramp from southbound I-395 to Glebe Road is also shut down, as is a ramp from northbound I-395 to northbound Glebe Road.

The Best Western hotel appears to be adjacent to where the work was taking place. Firefighters are on the scene with hoses laid out near the construction site.

A natural gas smell can be detected in the area.

We’re hearing that the closures could last well into the night.

Update at 10:30 p.m. — Glebe Road is expected to reopen in time for the morning rush hour.

Gas Fumes Prompt Hazmat Response at DARPA Building

By ARLnow.com

The fire department is on the scene at the headquarters of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Virginia Square for a report of strong gas fumes in the parking garage.

Initial reports suggest two people who were in the garage are now being treated after feeling lightheaded.

Parts of North Nelson Street and Fairfax Drive are shut down due to the large Hazmat response.

Update at 11:25 a.m. — Firefighters are investigating the incident as a possible gasoline leak from a vehicle. Some of the units are now leaving the scene.

A Hazmat team from Alexandria was part of the response.

Wakefield High School Evacuated Due to Gas Odor

By ARLnow.com

Wakefield High School was evacuated this afternoon due to a report of a strong odor of gas coming from a science lab.

Firefighters investigated and determined the gas odor was actually coming from lawnmowers that were being used outside. The odor had wafted into the school from an open door, according to principal Doris Jackson.

Students returned to class shortly after 2:00 p.m.

Carbon Monoxide Leak Sends Four to Hospital

By ARLnow.com

Four people were sent to the hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a small shopping center on the 700 block of 23rd Street South in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood.

Nobody was believed to be seriously ill, according to WUSA9. An earlier version of this story cited NBC4, which reported that three people were seriously sickened.

The leak was first reported by customers who began feeling sick in the California Nails salon.

The Aurora Hills Cleaners, Arlington Realty and Pure Media Signs stores were also affected by the leak. There is a preschool located in the same shopping center, but no one there became sick, we’re told.

Firefighters and Washington Gas crews spent hours trying to track the source of the leak, although it’s not clear whether the source was located. At least two of the stores will remain closed tomorrow morning.

The leak prompted a large fire department response to the relatively quiet stretch of 23rd Street, near Crystal City. In addition to Arlington County units, at least three hazmat trucks from the Alexandria fire department were on scene.

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Iraqi Election Voting in Ballston — The Iraqi government set up a polling center at the Hilton hotel in Ballston so Iraqis living in Washington could vote in their country’s parliamentary elections. Voting took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Arlington site is one of nine polling locations set up in the United States. More from the Washington Post and Fox 5.

Gas Leak Reported in South Arlington — Arlington firefighters and Washington Gas crews converged on the residential area of S. Edgewood St. and 17th St. S. on Sunday afternoon for a report of a natural gas leak. Police relocated several parked cars as gas company crews prepared to dig up part of the street.

Twisted Vines Holds Grand Opening — A large crowd showed up for the grand opening of Twisted Vines, Columbia Pike’s new wine bar. A photo posted on Twisted Vine’s Facebook page shows a sizable crowd enjoying selections from the restaurant’s 100+ bottles of wine.