Gas leak leads to evacuations ‘as a precaution’ in downtown Caldwell

A gas leak in downtown Caldwell led emergency services to evacuate local businesses and government buildings on Wednesday morning.

In a statement posted online, the Caldwell police and fire departments warned that construction crews struck a natural gas line near Blaine Street and 4th Avenue, leading to evacuations of nearby businesses “as a precaution.”

Two businesses were evacuated, according to Bianca Stevenson, a spokesperson for the Caldwell Police Department. Caldwell City Hall and the police department’s headquarters were also voluntarily evacuated “out of an abundance of caution,” she added.

The gas was secured as of around 11 a.m. Wednesday, Stevenson said, and construction crews have begun fixing the line. However, it remained unclear exactly when repairs would be completed, she said.

Officials urged people to avoid the area while first responders and utility crews “work to safely mitigate the leak.”

This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 11:06 AM.