Courthouse Evacuated After Workers Hit Gas Line: Report

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI – A gas leak forced the emergency evacuation of 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills Wednesday afternoon after a construction accident, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies and the Rochester Hills Fire Department were called to the area about 4:37 p.m. on complaints of a heavy odor of natural gas outside the court building.

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In an investigation, it was determined that construction workers with Pulte Homes of Michigan who were working near the northeast corner of Auburn and Barclay Circle struck a large gas main while pouring concrete, the sheriff’s office said.

Barclay Circle from Auburn north to Hampton Circle was shut down for about four hours.

Crews from Consumers Energy responded, but said the gas main wasn’t documented in their electronic system, so the main had to be shut down from another location. After about four hours, the main was shut down the Barclay Circle was reopened to traffic.

No one inside the courthouse was in danger, but jail inmates awaiting proceedings were evacuated, McCabe said.