‘Large’ gas line break repaired after causing evacuations, closures in Littleton

LITTLETON, Colo. — Xcel Energy reported a “large” gas line rupture that was 20 inches long and causing rocks to shoot over 100 feet in the air near the intersection of South Santa Fe Drive and C-470 Thursday morning.

It took emergency crews almost two hours to contain the leak. Residents in a two-square-mile radius were evacuated during that portion of time. C-470 was also closed in both directions for about an hour.

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Littleton Fire and Xcel Energy responded to the leak quickly and reported that the evacuations and closures were due to the possibility of the wind shifting, which could have caused the leaking gas to drift in any number of directions.

Residents in the area reported smelling a rotten egg-like odor during the leak, which was completely contained as of 11:20 a.m.

Xcel said the gas line break was likely caused by an unidentified group working in the area Thursday morning.