NW Natural Gas crews arrive at NW 10th Avenue and NW Davis Street in Portland on Tuesday morning, responding to reported gas leak.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff
Portland police and firefighters on Tuesday warned the public to stay away from the area of Northwest 9th Avenue to Northwest 11th Avenue near Northwest Couch Street as they responded to a major natural gas leak.
NW Natural had turned off gas to several hundred customers, and Pacific Power had turned off power for about 2,400 customers Tuesday morning as crews hustled to manage the gas leak. The first reports of the leak came around 7 a.m. from people who smelled gas in Northwest Portland.
By 1 p.m., the leak was repaired and Pacific Power said it would begin restoring electricity to the area. That process was expected to take up to five hours, as power would be restored in phases.
Sidewalks and streets at least a block in each direction of the reported leak were closed and police worked to evacuate nearby buildings. Portland Streetcar service was also suspended in the area and Powell’s City of Books was closed.
Northwest Natural did not immediately say what led to the gas leak.
This is a developing story. Watch for updates.
