Possible gas leak closes stretch of Route 45 in Gurnee area

Concerns about a natural gas leak led to a one-hour shutdown of Route 45 in the Gurnee area Monday.

Gurnee Fire Department Batallion Chief Barry Henby said crews from North Shore Gas shut the flow to the affected line and fixed it. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene about 11:30 a.m.

It's believed front-end loader stuck the line and caused the gas leak, authorities said. Route 45 in the Gurnee area was closed to traffic for about one hour south from Dada Drive to Cottage Avenue, not far from Washington Street.

Lake County sheriff's deputies blocked Route 45 north of Washington, said Henby, while Gurnee police made sure no traffic go through on the north end at Dada Drive.

Henby said authorities sent reverse 911 calls to residents on Gurnee's west side and to those living in the Druce Lake area of unincorporated Lake County that warned of the gas leak.