Residents are being allowed to return to their homes after a gas leak forced evacuations in the block east of South Florida Avenue along Beacon Road and Palm Drive, officials report.
Firefighters responded after a resident reported a strong smell of gas around 10:30 a.m. today, according to Lakeland Fire Department spokeswoman Janel Vasallo.
Responders discovered that construction workers had accidentally struck a four-inch gas line, causing the leak, and TECO Gas officials were able to repair it, according to news reports.