Gas leak causes minor disruption in downtown Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A gas leak in downtown Buffalo has caused a nearby neighbor to evacuate.

National Fuel workers and Buffalo firefighters responded to a report of a gas leak at 168 Franklin Street around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The building’s gas was shut off shortly after 7 a.m. The area was evacuated and the Buffalo Academy Charter School of Science canceled classes for the day.

Franklin Street between W. Huron and West Mohawk was also closed while crews worked to repair the gas leak.

National Fuel says the leak was caused by “damage to a natural gas valve inside the building following a malfunction in customer-owned piping.”

At 8:40 a.m., the building was cleared of gas and traffic was reopened on Franklin at 9:15 a.m. Repairs are still underway inside the building.