Natural Gas Leak Shuts Down Clayton

Downtown Clayton is evacuated this morning after a gas line is cut.

According to Clayton Fire Chief Andrew Green, a contractor was digging with a hand shovel between the Rock House and a location on E. Savannah and nicked the gas line.

Green said the Clayton Fire Department responded, with the Tiger and Chechero Fire Departments being called in to assist.

“Firefighters arrived on scene and advised there was a large hissing sound and a large odor of natural gas in the area. They requested two additional stations in the event that the downtown area did have to be evacuated.”

Downtown was evacuated, and the Clayton Police Department responded to help with the evacuation process, as well as traffic control.

Green said Toccoa Natural Gas responded quickly and capped the leak until repairs could be made, and the downtown area was quickly reopened.

According to Green, Toccoa Natural Gas said that anyone who will doing any construction or modification to property where a Natural Gas line is located should have a location service done prior to the work.