Princeton Evacuates 500 Over Gas Leak

500 people evacuated at Princeton University because of a gas leak are able to return to 11 buildings that were affected.

The University gave the all clear to return after the University's Department of Public Safety and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety  checked gas levels in the affected buildings.

University spokesman Martin Mbugua says a backhoe struck a gas line near McCosh Health Center just before 10 a.m. Monday.

nna Mazarkis, a writer for the Daily Princetonian student newspaper, in a tweet said the sound of gas leaking from the struck pipeline could be heard on campus and the smell was "overwhelming."

The newspaper notes in a tweet that no campus-wide email was sent regarding the leak and evacuation.

The buildings evacuated included  the Frist Campus Center, Jones Hall, McCosh Health Center, Guyot Hall, 1927-Clapp Hall and Dodge-Osborne Hall according to the Daily Princetonian

Utility workers from PSE&G are on the site Monday morning, but it wasn't immediately known what they were working on when the accident occurred.

No injuries are reported and there is no fire according to the Times of Trenton.

MORE COVERAGE:

• Princeton University evacuates 11 buildings on campus after gas line is struck /Star-Ledger
• Breaking: Gas leak evacuates 500 from central campus / Daily Princetonian
• Gas leak at Princeton University, 500 evacuated / 6 ABC
• Gas Link Struck, 500 Evacuated, No Injuries Reported / Patch of Princeton

The Associated Press contributed to this report