Road reopens near Kennestone Hospital after Marietta gas leak contained
Two busy streets near WellStar Kennestone Hospital have reopened after being shut down because of a gas leak Wednesday afternoon, Marietta police said. However, Whitcher Street remains blocked.
The gas leak, near Kennestone Hospital has been capped. Roads are again open, except Whitcher St. https://t.co/GdCX8sQBHX
— Marietta Police (@MariettaPD) May 1, 2019
Around 3 p.m., police began directing traffic away from the Church Street area where it meets with Cherry and Witcher streets, the department said in a tweet.
Church, Cherry and Witcher Streets are all closed due to a gas main break. Repair crews are in route. More: https://t.co/tJ1lwIGJ1Q
— Marietta Police (@MariettaPD) May 1, 2019
The leak prompted police to relocate patients in the Green Tower at Kennestone, which is a Level 2 trauma center.
The hospital has the busiest emergency room in Georgia, Channel 2 Action News reported, and that area is located within the Green Tower.
The leak was caused by construction on a new emergency room, which is near Church Street. A worker cut the gas line under the road, according to Channel 2.
Happening Now:
— Cobb County Fire (@cobbcountyfire) May 1, 2019
Cobb Fire assisting Marietta Fire with evacuations of the Green Tower at Kennestone Hospital due to a gas leak. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/oOQT6FETjH
Just after 5 p.m., the gas leak was contained, according to Channel 2. However, Church Street didn’t reopen until after 7:15 p.m. because of residual gas, Channel 2 reported. Patients have also been moved back to their rooms, and the hospital is resuming normal operations.
Just in: Church Street has reopened. https://t.co/a5ZQUqF9Qu
— Chris Jose (@ChrisJoseWSB) May 1, 2019
It’s unclear when Whitcher Street will reopen.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
