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Eleven blocks of Yonge Street from Steeles Avenue to Cummer Avenue were closed Wednesday morning after a construction crew inadvertently severed a natural gas line.

Toronto Fire first received reports of leaking gas around 9:47 am, and within 15 minutes Enbridge repair crews were on the scene. By 11 am, workers reported that the line was “90 per cent” repaired.

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Pedestrians and traffic were being steered around the area for more than an hour and there were some reports of building evacuations. However, the overall risk was minimal, said Captain David Eckerman with Toronto Fire. “Although the smell is quite prevalent, a line leading to a home is only half an inch, so the amount of gas that is actually escaping is pretty minimal,” he said.

Crews from Toronto Fire conducted air tests in surrounding buildings, but found that not enough gas had seeped in to pose a threat.

Being lighter than air, natural gas dissipates quickly in outdoor environments. “It’s when it’s contained within a home that it becomes a danger,” said Mr. Eckerman.

thopper@nationalpost.com