HAMPTON, Va. — Businesses in a Hampton shopping plaza on Towne Centre Way were closed for a couple hours Monday afternoon after a gas leak, according to fire crews, prompted them to evacuate.
A News 3 crew at the scene said emergency crews left and businesses appeared to return to normal around 12:30 p.m.
Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue Chief Jason Monk says around 10:20 a.m., crews found an active gas leak at a gas meter in the 10 block of Towne Centre Way. Some of the businesses in the area that have evacuated include Rite Aid, Ace Hardware and STIHL.
The leak was caused by a commercial vehicle accidentally hitting the meter, the chief added. The driver of that vehicle stayed at the scene.
In addition to evacuating nearby businesses, fire crews kept a safe distance and performed gas monitoring out of caution. Crews also requested extra resources from Virginia Natural Gas.
