Officials give okay after gas leak evacuates high school

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO) – The Columbia Fire Department is wrapping up a natural gas leak rupture at Richland Northeast High School. A spokesperson says crews have mitigated the situation. It started after reports of an odor around 8:30am Tuesday while someone was digging in the area. School officials originally evacuated students and staff to the football field, but they were given the okay to return back inside. There are no reports of injuries. Firefighters say there was no concern for adjacent neighborhoods, but traffic became an issue. Crews shut down a portion of Faraway Drive. The sheriff’s department was redirecting traffic. SCE&G also responded to the scene.