Northwood, IA (KROC-AM News) - A large chunk of a small town in northern Iowa was evacuated Thursday morning because of a gas leak.

The Worth County Sheriff’s Department says a construction crew hit a six-inch natural gas pipeline located next to the Worth County Courthouse in Northwood shortly after 9 AM. Authorities ordered the evacuation of a five block radius from the site of the leak, which included the inmates in the county jail. A nearby elementary school was also evacuated.

It took about two hours for crews to stop the leak and the evacuation order was lifted around 11 AM.

Northwood is a town of about 2000 people and is located about 10 miles south of Albert Lea.

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