NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — UPDATE 7:41 a.m.: Nashville Fire Department says it got in contact with the construction company overseeing a nearby project. They are on the way to dig a trench to ventilate the gas.
The fire department says they hope it will decrease the gas levels, but unsure when exactly they will arrive or how well the ventilation will work.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Nashville fire crews evacuated 53 units at an Antioch apartment complex early Saturday after detecting dangerous levels of natural gas and carbon monoxide, possibly linked to a nearby construction site, fire officials said.
The Nashville Fire Department responded to a carbon monoxide alarm at 215 Ben Hill Drive around 1:20 a.m. Testing revealed dangerous levels of both gases not only in the unit that triggered the alarm, but throughout multiple buildings on the property.
One building with 36 unites was evacuated. Four additional buildings of nearby townhomes were mostly self-evacuated, bringing the total to 53 units.
No injuries have been reported, and no residents have needed to be assessed by medical crews.
Fire crews consulted a geologist and believe a methane pocket at a nearby construction site may have been disturbed by recent digging or blasting. The gas is odorless and is not a commercial gas leak — crews believe it is natural gas leaking from the ground.
The gas company Spire has responded to the scene.
Gas levels have decreased slightly since crews first arrived but are not dissipating — they are holding steady.
Crews have been unable to reach property management, the fire department says. Residents who have not yet left can seek shelter in the apartment clubhouse, though most have already departed.
Fire officials estimate it could take up to three days to clear the gas, meaning residents may need to find alternative housing for the weekend.
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