Gas leak shuts down Route 12 in Kildeer

A major gas leak shut down a stretch of Route 12 in Kildeer for nearly six hours Monday afternoon after construction crews struck a natural gas main.

Construction workers noticed gas bubbling up to street level after striking a steel high-pressure natural gas main on Route 12 near Plum Grove Road just before 11:30 a.m., officials said.

A number of businesses that front Route 12 between Plum Grove Road and Deer Park Boulevard were evacuated as police and fire crews shut down that portion of the roadway, said Lake Zurich Fire Chief Terry Mastandrea.

Nicor crews were able to shut down the 18-inch diameter main at about 4 p.m.

Construction crews tore up a large portion of the roadway to fix the leak and needed to repave the road before traffic could resume at about 5:15 p.m., Mastandrea said

Natural gas service to the area was not affected by the leak, said Nicor spokesman Richard Caragol.

Mastandrea said there were no immediate safety concerns and no one was injured during the leak.