Gas Leak Prompts Evacuation at Morristown’s College Square Mall

Key Points:

• A gas leak at College Square Mall in Morristown, near Planet Fitness and Belk, prompted an emergency response and evacuation on Monday morning.
• Emergency crews, including the Morristown Fire Department and Atmos Energy, contained the gas leak by 1:15 PM.
• Planet Fitness and Belk will remain closed for repairs, but the rest of College Square Mall is open.

Morristown, TN – Emergency responders were called to College Square Mall in Morristown Monday morning following a reported gas leak. The leak, located near the Planet Fitness and Belk department stores, prompted the evacuation of both businesses.

Incident Details

The Morristown Fire Department received a report of the gas leak at approximately 10:30 AM. The leak was traced to a gas line situated at the corner of the Planet Fitness location within the mall, located at 2550 E Morris Blvd, a major retail hub in Morristown and Hamblen County.

Responding to the scene were the Morristown Fire Department, the Morristown Police Department, and Morristown-Hamblen Emergency Medical Services. Atmos Energy, the natural gas provider for the region, was also dispatched to manage the gas leak.

Response and Containment

According to Morristown-Hamblen Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Bell, both Planet Fitness and Belk were promptly evacuated as a precautionary measure. Atmos Energy crews worked to access and shut off the affected gas line. The gas leak was successfully contained by 1:15 PM.

Ongoing Impact

While the gas leak has been stopped and deemed under control, Planet Fitness and Belk will remain closed to the public. These businesses will remain closed for an undetermined period to allow for necessary repairs and safety inspections to be completed. The remainder of College Square Mall has been declared safe and remains open for shoppers.

Earlier in the day, the City of Morristown announced via their official Facebook page a temporary closure of the access road adjacent to Planet Fitness to facilitate emergency operations. This access road was expected to reopen within a few hours of the initial report.

Authorities have not yet released details regarding the cause of the gas leak.