A gas leak caused by construction on the Landmark Theater Wednesday morning shut down the intersection of Main Street and Cherry Street, the Sitterding House and the University Student Commons.
According to Capt. Sylvester Henderson of the Richmond Fire Department, the leak occurred at 10:30 a.m. and the Richmond Fire Department was dispatched at 10:41 a.m.
Upon arrival, fire department officials evacuated the area and blocked off or controlled traffic on Floyd, Main and Cherry streets until entrance into the Sitterding House which contains administrative offices, and the Student Commons was permitted. Students, faculty and staff were allowed to return to the buildings at about 11:45 a.m., after the fire department completed its investigation of the gas leak.
During its investigation, the fire department contacted the Richmond City Department of Utilities to examine the construction site directly behind the Landmark Theater.
University Student Commons and Activities Information Assistant Courtnay Sellers evacuated people outside to safety. She said information assistants are trained to escort people out of the building and make sure they do not get back inside.
“Some students were confused,” Sellers said. “Everyone who worked here was pretty calm.”
Sean DeArras, an electrical engineering major, said he smelled the gas in his classroom in Grace E. Harris Hall.
“The teacher mentioned there had been a smell in her office but she had not thought about it,” DeArras said. “We carried on with class.”
Andrew Walsh, a chemistry major, said he understands incidents requiring evacuation often occur.
He said he the amount of time the buildings are closed is an important factor in these types of events.
Walsh said, “Everything was handled pretty well and professional.”