Construction workers drilling on Dormitory Road near Snyder and Phillips halls hit a gas line at about noon on Tuesday, causing a gas leak that kept running for roughly five hours.
"It just shoots out because it's forced gas," said Lt. Peter McClain of the East Lansing Fire Department.
A specialized group from Consumers Energy dug a separate hole near the residence halls to locate the line and shut off the gas, but finding it proved problematic.
"There are so many lines down there, it's become kind of confusing," McClain said.
Officials were able to locate the line and shut off the gas at about 5 p.m. Tuesday. MSU police Sgt. Randy Holton said he expected the crew to repair the line by Tuesday night.
"They'll remove a chunk of asphalt and dig up the dirt to get down to where the gas line ruptured," Holton said. "They'll repair it, put the dirt back, and eventually the road will be repaved."
With the line clamped off so no gas could get through, the fire department and MSU police officers were able to leave the scene, Holton said.
"All the danger is over with," Holton said. "Once the gas is shut off, the danger is gone."
Dormitory Road was closed due to the leak, but Holton said he expected it to be open by today.
The gas wafted through the nearby halls during the afternoon, but a crew from the Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety tested the air to make sure it was safe, said MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor.
As a safety precaution, residents with rooms facing Dormitory Road were asked to close their windows.
Laura Colombo, who normally works in the manager's office for Mason, Abbot, Snyder and Phillips halls, set up shop outside Mason Hall to make sure people didn't cross the yellow police tape.
The special education sophomore said she wasn't too pleased with the odor that came along with her temporary post.
"Everyone once in a while, I'll get a whiff of it and I go, 'Whoo, I hope that doesn't last too long,'" Colombo said.
The Mason and Abbot hall kitchens had to make do without gas to cook food, said Mary Lou Heberlein, manager of all four of the complex's residence halls.
"We have steam and electricity, so we kept going with lunch," Heberlein said.
Construction management junior Greg Swihart normally works maintenance in Mason Hall, but he said he didn't mind the change in scenery as he warned passersby to avoid the yellow police tape.
"It's a nice day to be standing outside," Swihart said.
