Residents at Division St. between Colborne and Elm Streets were evacuated from their homes on Tuesday after a natural gas line was struck at Division and Colborne.

Around 1 p.m., the Kingston Police Force (KPF) tweeted that a city backhoe appeared to have struck the line.

In another tweet, it was reported that Utilities Kingston arrived to help repair the gas line. At 2:54 p.m., the KPF stated that the gas was turned off and that residents could return to their homes.

Cindie Ashton, media relations officer for the City of Kingston, said that city workers were not involved in the gas leak.

Bill Revell lives at the intersection of Division and Colborne.

“I was downtown and I was coming northbound on Division St. I’d seen all the fire trucks and wasn’t sure what was going on. Moments later I could smell gas leaking into the house,” Revell said.

“I had my windows open and the gas was so strong that it was actually seeping into my place, so I closed my windows and I could still smell the gas seeping in.”

Cameron Giglio, another Kingston resident, said he was evacuated for about one hour between 4 and 5 p.m.

“You could smell it but it wasn’t too bad. It happens – it was a little accident,” Giglio said.

“We just left … just for our safety.”