Bend’s Colorado Avenue reopens after gas leak

A construction backhoe accidentally pulled a natural gas line off a northwest Bend building Friday afternoon, triggering a leak that prompted an evacuation of that business, shut down the busy roadway and brought fire crews to the scene, officials said.

The gas leaked into a business at 507 NW Colorado Avenue,prompting a call for Pacific Power crews to shut power to the building and evacuate it for safety reasons, according to city spokeswoman Anne Aurand. Online listings indicate Cascade Rack,a bike and boat rack store, is at the address.

The gas was shut off and there was no danger to the public, Aurand said before 2 p.m., as crews waited for ventilation to dissipate the gas.

Word came just before 2 p.m. that Colorado Avenue and side streets would be reopening. ODOT had closed the westbound offramps of the Bend Parkway at Colorado Avenue.