Daily Sun staff reports

Homes in the area of 17th and Monroe streets were evacuated late Wednesday morning after a natural gas line was punctured by Board of Public Works maintenance crews working on a section of sidewalk.

Officials from Beatrice Fire and Rescue and Black Hills Energy responded to the call, which came just after 10 a.m.

Approximately 10 homes along the block were checked for gas and four homes were evacuated by Black Hills Energy officials for safety precautions, South Region Superintendent Cully Silan said.

“The big thing is to keep everyone safe,” Silan said.

The leak was “relatively safe” as far as gas leaks are concerned, Silan said, as it happened away from a building and was venting into the atmosphere.

Black Hills employees, complete with breathing aparatus, put a tapered plug into the puncture. The plug, according to Silan, can be screwed shut as a temporary fix. A more permanent fix — a clamp that will be welded to the pipeline — will be installed as soon as possible.

Firefighters from Beatrice Fire and Rescue waited in standby during the process.