WILLIAMSPORT -- A gas leak was reported near a hospital in Williamsport Monday morning.
Police said the leak is in the area of Grampian Boulevard and Chestnut Street near Divine Providence Hospital.
Officials at the scene said a gas main line at a construction site next to the hospital was accidentally cut by a construction crew around 9:30 a.m. Monday.
As a precaution, Divine Providence Hospital was evacuated, affecting 200 people, including patients, staff, and visitors.
The hospital was considering transferring patients to another hospital, but the gas company was able to shut off the gas so the transfer was not necessary. Everyone was back in the hospital by noon.
"We were seeing patients up on the third floor and had to be evacuated. First they kept the employees in the building and patients outside. Now everybody had to leave," said Dr. Margrit Shoemaker.
Patients with appointments at Susquehanna Health Divine Providence Hospital were shocked when they made it to the hospital in Williamsport Monday morning.
"Tried to turn the corner, they stopped me and I saw a lot of people walking down the sidewalk and I was like, 'Oh my God! They are evacuating the hospital,'" said Tony Sullivan of Oval.
"It's pretty bad. It's very gassy. Especially when you get down toward this end of the block. We couldn't really smell it in the building," said Dr. Shoemaker.
"No significant gas leak into the hospital itself," said Divine Providence President Robert Kane.
"Then to be told it was locked down, you're like, 'Well what do we do? Where do you go?'" said Carla Treon.
The president of the hospital says people started moving to their health service center just as a precaution. In that time the gas company was able to turn off the gas.
Tony Sullivan lives in Oval, near Jersey Shore. He had a 10:30 a.m. appointment, but when he got to the hospital, "They called about the same time and cancelled."
Officials at Susquehanna Health said they are working with patients who had procedures delayed because of the gas leak, including Sullivan.
"They called me back an hour later and wanted me to reschedule. I just stopped in and they gave me a 2 o'clock appointment."
Construction workers on scene said the gas line has been repaired.
The president of the hospital said hospital employees will review how they handled this situation to help them in the future.
