Gas leak evacuates campus buildings

Video: A gas leak occurred on the Fairfax campus Wednesday, evacuating campus buildings near the construction outside Lecture Hall. (George Yanez) 

Several buildings on campus were evacuated around 11 a.m. Wednesday after a gas leak in the Northeast end of campus was reported to the George Mason Police Department.

“At 11:09 (a.m.) we got a call that a construction crew over here had broken a gas main by accident,” said Maj. George Ginovsky, GMUPD assistant police chief.

Ginovsky said no one was injured in the incident.

The buildings affected were Northern Neck dorms, North Chesapeake Module and the Lecture Hall, said Ginovsky. The Starbucks by the Northern Neck dorm was also evacuated.

Ginovsky said the decision to evacuate the buildings was made in conjunction with the fire department because of safety concerns.

“The natural gas can be flammable,” he said, “Plus there are some people very concerned because they can smell the gas.”

Some afternoon classes at Lecture Hall were cancelled because of the incident.

The dorms and Starbucks were reopened at around 12:20 p.m. and Lecture Hall was cleared to re-open at approximately 12:30 p.m.