MSU sends warning to avoid Shaw Lane and Farm Lane area due to gas leaks

Michigan State University sent out an alert Tuesday afternoon saying, “Please avoid the area of ​​Shaw Lane and Farm Lane due to a gas leak.”

An update sent less than half an hour after the initial alert said: “The East Lansing Fire Department is on scene, along with MSU Police and Consumer's Energy are investigating the gas leak.”

According to MSU Department of Police and Public Safety spokesperson Nadia Vizueta, the leak occurred due to an accidental collision of a gas line by the construction team on site. No injuries were reported by the crew and Consumers Energy also attended to assess and repair the damage and leak.

The line was repaired and the gas leak was closed by Consumers Energy around 2 p.m. No subsequent traffic accidents or cases of illness among students were reported.

According to the Apple Maps app, when planning routes for bus trips on campus, students should expect delays on the 24 and 26 to 9 p.m. routes because they have to avoid the area.

“The affected area has been evacuated. No further evacuations are required at this time. Please continue to avoid the area of ​​Shaw Lane and Farm Lane until advised otherwise,” the latest warning reads.

MSU spokesman Mark Bullion said that “classes were not impacted by the gas leak,” adding that the city of East Lansing “has been notified.”

MSU spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said “we are continuing the assessment” and that “road closures are taking place to allow crews to address the leak.”

Forty minutes after the initial warning, students in the River Trail and Mason-Abbot-Snyder-Phillips neighborhoods received an email instructing all residents on the west side of those buildings to close the windows to their dorm rooms.

“Due to the proximity of the leak and out of an abundance of caution, if you live on the west side of the building, we ask that you close your windows until we receive the all-clear through the notification system,” Assistant Director of Residence Education Jarrod Becht said in the E-mail.

Ndeye Thiam, a freshman political science and law major, was manning a Harris-Walz campaign booth at the bridge on Farm Lane and said the gas leak affected foot traffic at the table.

“It was so busy and now we have about three students a minute,” Thiam said.

CATA spokeswoman Lolo Robinson said for safety reasons, all buses on campus stopped service with news of the leak and remained in place while awaiting updates. At around 2 p.m. they received the all-clear and resumed service as usual.

CATA was notified of a closure at the intersection of Abbott and Burcham around 2:20-2:30 p.m. East Lansing Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Koonter confirmed the closure was due to another accidental gas line rupture during utility work.

According to Robinson, bus route 26 was about an hour late due to the secondary leak.