A gas leak that resulted in a building explosion in the southern end of downtown Hutchinson Saturday morning prompted an evacuation alert for nearby residents.

Crews have initiated a defensive operation using unmanned fire streams. All city resources from Hutchinson Fire and Buhler Fire, District 3, and South Hutch were deployed. The State Regional Hazmat team from Sedgwick County will be on-site to perform remote unmanned monitoring for gas.

A gas line ruptured, causing a building to explode in downtown Hutchinson on Saturday morning and fueling more fires on nearby streets and sidewalks that burned through the afternoon. It happened just before 9:30 a.

Fire crews and investigators are still working to determine the cause of the explosion and where the fire is coming from. With gas and electricity still cut off for much of the area, many residents and business owners are left with questions.

Officials in Hutchinson, Kansas evacuated several blocks near and around downtown after a gas leak caused an explosion at a longtime auto parts store, fire chief Steven Beer said Saturday. (Feb. 22, 2

The Hutchinson Fire Department said significant progress has been made in containing the natural gas fire that destroyed an auto parts store and forced evacuations in an area of downtown.

Just before 9:30 a.m. Saturday E-911 was alerted to a gas odor report at Avenue E and Main Street, Steffans Auto Parts.

Thick block smoke is rising over Hutchinson this morning as fire crews are battling a blaze in the 400 block of South Main Street.