Gas leak forces residents to evacuate

LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. (WSVN) -- Fire rescue crews are working to cap a gas leak that forced residents to evacuate.

About 30 residents were evacuated from their condos, located on 5555 N. Ocean Drive in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, after a leak erupted in an underground propane tank Thursday afternoon.

Fire department crews were called to the Ocean Bay Club apartments after someone saw the vapors and a smell of propane near the complex pool.

Haz-Mat Teams from Fort Lauderdale and Sunrise fire departments responded and have been working to unearth the 500-pound leaking underground tank. Two of the three buildings in the complex were evacuated.

As of Thursday morning, crews remained on scene, waiting for the gas leak to burn out.

Officials are diverting traffic on A1A from Sea Ranch Lakes south for about half a mile.

No injuries have been reported.

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