JUST IN: Large gas leak shuts down I-66 ramps in Ballston

(Updated at 9:15 p.m.) A busy set of highway ramps were shut down in Ballston due to a construction mishap.

A construction crew accidentally ruptured a large, 6-inch gas line along the 4600 block of Fairfax Drive, in front of the Holiday Inn hotel.

The fire department quickly requested that Arlington County police and Virginia State Police shut down all of Fairfax Drive between N. Glebe Road and I-66, including the ramp from the highway.

Firefighters also evaluated whether they should evacuate the hotel and surrounding buildings, but no evacuations were ultimately reported.

As of 3:15 p.m., the leak was still active, according to the fire department, despite Washington Gas crews having been on scene for about an hour, and the odor of natural gas was spreading throughout the area.

“Odor can be smelled throughout Ballston,” ACFD said on social media. “This will be an extended operation with impacts for an unknown duration.”

Firefighters were dispatched to at least one location outside of Ballston, in the nearby Bluemont neighborhood, after a caller reported a concerningly strong smell of gas.

As of 7:15 p.m., the roadway and the ramps reopened, though lane closures remain on Fairfax Drive.

🚨Traffic Advisory 🚨for those traveling I-66 in Arlington County this afternoon (3/15/23): https://t.co/f1ugfG0um8

— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) March 15, 2023

#UPDATE: @washingtongas on scene. Leak is still active. Odor can be smelled throughout Ballston. Air readings in surrounding buildings are normal. This will be an extended operation with impacts for an unknown duration. No evacuations required currently.

— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) March 15, 2023