Large gas leak in downtown Durham secured after businesses near ballpark evacuated
A gas leak in downtown Durham that forced the evacuation of nearby buildings late Wednesday afternoon has been secured, according to officials with Enbridge Gas.
In a statement, Persida Montanez with Enbridge said the leak on Blackwell Street in front of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park was the result of a “third party damaging a gas line.”
By 7:12 p.m., the gas leak was secured. Power has also been restored to the area, the city’s fire department said. Enbridge crews will remain at the stadium to complete repairs.
There was no scheduled game at the stadium on Wednesday night. Buildings around the ballpark were evacuated around 5 p.m.
In 2019, two people were killed and 25 were injured in a natural gas explosion on North Duke Street in the Brightleaf District. The explosion, which followed a contractor’s rupturing a gas line, was later ruled an accident by the Durham Fire Department.
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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Large gas leak in downtown Durham secured after businesses near ballpark evacuated."