YMCA back open after evacuation

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Staff, members, and children were forced to leave the YMCA after the gas line broke. 

More than 50 people were evacuated from the YMCA around 10:00 a.m. Friday.  Everyone was taken to the nearby Durgan Elementary School.  Lafayette Fire Captain Mike Tribbett says a mower ran over a gas line at the Tippecanoe County fairgrounds causing the leak.

"He ran into a gas line, a feeder line, and broke it off. We were unable to shut it off, because it broke down below the valve," said Tribbett. 

Captain Tribbett says everyone at the YMCA was evacuated immediately as a safety precaution.

"Everything is fine, the gas company got here real quick.  They are working as we speak to get it shut off.  So there's really not a big emergency we just evacuated everyone to be on the safe side.  Everyone is safe, a little warm and cranky but other than that everyone's fine and that's good," said Tribbett.

YMCA CEO Paul Cramer says everyone involved responded quickly.

"The fire department did an excellent job, communication was the key.  We are happy to have everyone safe.  The safety of our members is our highest priority.  We were able to evacuate all of our members, staff and program participants," said Cramer.

Some YMCA members, like Trinette Dommer who had just finished working out, were shocked when they were told to evacuate.

"There was a bunch of emergency people in there and they looked intense and they were telling people to do things.  I had my Ipod in so I had to take it off and they just said we need to evacuate the building," said Dommer.

Dommer said she ran back to the locker room to get her friend that was visiting from North Dakota.

"Well, It throws a little loop in your day," said Tina Opdahl.

The YMCA re-opened about an hour and a half later, and is now back in full operation.