Ruptured gas line forces evacuations in South Philadelphia

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Seventeen residents were being allowed back in their homes early Tuesday after a natural gas leak forced evacuations in a South Philadelphia neighborhood.

It started at 2:45 a.m. Tuesday when a passerby phoned the fire department about a noxious smell in the 1300 block of Snyder Avenue

Firefighters arriving on the scene noticed the smell and evacuated six homes.

Utility crews discovered a 4-inch main had ruptured beneath the street.

Work began immediately, and repairs were completed within a couple of hours.

All residents back in their homes by 6:00 a.m. No injuries were reported.

There was no immediate word what caused the main to rupture.