Gas company employees wait for the gas supply to be cut off before they approach a ruptured 2-inch line spewing natural gas at the Gaffney Housing Authority's Limestone Courts on Wednesday. A contractor drilling holes for poles that will hold new security cameras and wireless Internet equipment accidentally struck the line while digging. Firefighters conducted an emergency evacuation of the complex until the line was cut off. The Gaffney Fire and Police Departments were forced to evacuate the Gaffney Housing Authority's Limestone Courts apartment complex Wednesday after a contractor accidentally bored into a 2-inch natural gas line.

The Housing Authority is installing security cameras and wireless Internet access devices at all four of its properties.

Gas lines were premarked before the contractor began boring holes for the poles that will hold the new equipment.

"The property had been marked but it's my understanding the (gas line) marks didn't go far enough and they weren't aware the gas line was there when they accidentally hit it," said Randolph Mathis, executive director of the Housing Authority.

Capt. Wayne Brown of the Gaffney Fire Department said he made the decision to evacuate the property because the natural gas, which was gushing from the broken line, was staying low to the ground and blowing around the apartment complex.

"When it gets to drifting one way or another we have a problem," he said. "There were too many unknown variables," he added.

The smell of the gas could be sensed hundreds of feet away.

It wasn't clear how many residents had to be evacuated, though one woman with medical problems was brought from her apartment on a stretcher.

The incident lasted only about 20 to 25 minutes until workers from Piedmont Natural Gas were able to cut off the gas supply to the ruptured line. Residents were allowed to return to their homes only minutes later.

"Everybody cooperated really well," Mathis said. "The police, firefighters, maintenance staff and the residents all worked together."

The installation of the security cameras and wireless Internet equipment was otherwise going well, Mathis said, and the equipment should be operational within the next week or so. Mathis said the camera system is being installed as a safety measure as well as a deterrent against vandalism or graffiti.

No one was injured.

All three city fire stations responded to the scene, as did numerous members of the Gaffney Police Department, which provided traffic control and helped shut down North Limestone Street while the evacuation was under way. Cherokee County Emergency Preparedness Director Rick Peterson and officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office also responded.