A gas leak that forced an emergency evacuation at about noon Thursday on the OU campus has just been stopped as of 5:30 p.m.

Students, faculty and residents in the vicinity of the Van Vleet Oval, Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the athletic dorms and local businesses were asked to evacuate early Thursday afternoon after construction on Lindsey Street damaged a pipe and caused a leak.

Construction on Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue prompted the evacuation as workers punctured a gas line along the road, according to an e-mail from the OU Police Department.

"If you are within a three block area of that intersection, please evacuate. Immediately," stated the e-mail.

The gas line was struck 11:51 a.m., but the gas had managed to be turned off as of 5:30 p.m..

Several buildings such as Copeland Hall were reopened after being cleared, but others buildings nearer to the scene, such as Gaylord Hall, are being closed for the day.

The punctured natural gas line resulted in gas spewing 25-30 feet in the air with winds moving north at 20 mph, Jim Bailey Norman deputy fire chief said.

Around 1:30 p.m., students, faculty and staff received an emergency notification e-mail from President David Boren stating where the gas line was punctured and to evacuate.

"Out of an abundance of caution, all members of the university community and visitors should vacate the one-block area from Lindsey to Brooks and Asp to Farmer and remain out of that area until you receive notification on the Emergency Response System," said Boren in the emergency e-mail statement.

Bailey said that the fire department was trying to locate a valve to shut off the gas, or would pinch the line to stop it.

Unlike propane which is heavier than air, natural gas is lighter so it dissipates into the air and isn’t as big a safety threat, Bailey said.

“If it ignites it will be spectacular for a second, then it will just be a fire,” Bailey said.

After the gas is shut off, the fire department will go through buildings to ensure that they are ventilated, Bailey said.

Matthews Trenching Company out of Oklahoma City were the contractors working on the line when it was punctured.

No injuries were reported, Bailey said.

Subway workers were evacuated and waiting on the street for their building to be reopened. Subway employee Tyler Baur said that he saw the gas spewing above the stoplight at Lindsey and Jenkins intersection.

“I just want to go home now,” Baur said