FIREFIGHTERS CLOSE STREET AFTER GAS LEAKS

A gas leak prompted Cape Girardeau firefighters to close off traffic to Houck Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to the scene at Broadway and Houck at 3:22 p.m.

A "large circus-type tent" had been set up in the area for Southeast's Homecoming celebration, said Capt. Paul Breitenstein, and one of the stakes holding the tent in place was apparently driven into a gas main.

"When they went to take it down and proceeded to pull the stake up, that's when it really started leaking," Breitenstein said.

Firefighters closed off the area to foot and vehicle traffic, and Union Electric crews were called to the scene to repair the gas main.

"The football game was ending in about the middle of it," Breitenstein said. "It wasn't too bad. We just took some precautions."