COBBLE HILL — A gas main break at a construction site on Atlantic Avenue forced more than a dozen residents and businesses to evacuate two buildings on an adjoining block Wednesday morning.
A contractor for the development at 112 Atlantic Ave. — a former Shell gas station that's being turned into a residential and retail complex — hit an eight-inch gas main within the construction site, according to Wendy Ladd, a spokeswoman for National Grid and the Department of Buildings.
National Grid got a call about the gas leak at around 8:20 a.m., and was on scene at 9:06 a.m., she said.
The FDNY responded to the scene after a call about a gas smell.
About 15 people had to leave the buildings at 327 and 329 Henry St., between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street, due to the incident, Ladd said.
While Ladd said the scene was made safe by 9:25 a.m. and there were no injuries, witnesses said they were stranded on the sidewalk for nearly two hours before they were allowed back into the buildings around 11 a.m.
Matthew Keyes, the owner of Key&Cup, a nearby coffee shop at 331 Henry St., said the entire block was evacuated and taped off.
The nearby construction had already taken a heavy toll on his 18-month old café, he said.
"I made a quarter of what I made before they started," he said.
One business owner who was biking to the block said he "smelled gas like four blocks away." He declined to be named.
Gas service was not interrupted at 112 Atlantic Ave. or any of the buildings, Ladd said.
A partial stop worker order was issued for the construction site on Wednesday due to the damaged gas line. An investigation by the Department of Buildings is ongoing, the agency said.
The construction site at 112 Atlantic Ave. in Cobble Hill. (DNAinfo/Nikhita Venugopal)
The building is being developed by Avery Hall Investments in partnership with OTL Enterprises and BKSK Architects. Avery Hall Investments was not immediately available for comment.
Just across the street, demolition of the former Long Island College Hospital buildings is underway.
