Monroe gas leak closes Main Street

Published 10:58 pm Sunday, August 23, 2009

MONROE — A gas leak discovered Sunday morning closed Main Street for about three hours.

Firefighters were called to the 1400 block of W. Main Street about 9 a.m. after passersby reported a gas leak at a telephone switching vault, Monroe Fire District Acting Capt. Kurt Schneider said.

An underground leak caused dangerous quantities of gas to build up in the vault, he said. Crews kept Main Street closed until about noon.

Schneider said enough gas had accumulated to cause an explosion.

It was not immediately known what caused the leak or when it may have started.

Puget Sound Energy crews were still working on the vault later Sunday afternoon.