NEWS
Gas leak cause of shortened day at state Capitol
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by Keegan Kyle
Monday, February 19, 2007
Officials evacuated the state Capitol building Friday because of a natural gas leak, even though the building is heated by steam.
Gas entered the statehouse through a leak next to a nearby telephone conduit, said Steve Kraus, spokesperson for Madison Gas & Electric.
Someone reported a faint odor of natural gas in the Capitol basement before 4 p.m., and the building was evacuated as a precaution.
UW sophomore Maggie Gau, an intern for Rep. Ann Hraychuck, D-Balsam Lake, said Capitol Police ordered everyone in the building to leave immediately.
"I wasn't scared, but it was very tense," Gau said. "The Capitol Police were tense, and that made me kind of nervous."
Before leaving the building, Gau and other workers turned off the office's computers and lights and left for the day, but other Capitol workers decided to wait it out and continue working.
Utility workers lifted manhole covers to allow the gas to vent into the air, and readings a little before 6 p.m. showed no natural gas in the Capitol.
Officials allowed Capitol workers to enter the building to gather personal belongings before heading home.
Utility workers completed temporary repairs by 11 p.m. Friday, Kraus said.
State Department of Administration spokesperson Scott Larrivee said the Capitol was open Saturday as usual.
Madison Police said their involvement in the incident was directing traffic and assisting MGE.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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