Roseville building evacuated, 9 sick in natural gas leak

Up to 200 people were evacuated and nine reported flu-like symptoms after a suspected natural gas leak in Roseville Friday morning, authorities said.

Roseville Fire Chief Tim O'Neill said firefighters could smell gas outside the building located off of County Road C near Fairview Avenue. But no dangerous levels of gas were registered on the firefighters' testing meters after they shut off the gas and toured the building.

Nine people reported symptoms such as headaches and nausea. Seven were treated with oxygen on site and reported feeling better, but two people were taken to the hospital after vomiting, O'Neill said.

Firefighters weren't able to determine what was causing the gas smell. Xcel Energy and the building managers were working to find the possible leak.

Meanwhile, 150 to 200 employees of Progressive Insurance, Allied and a Walgreens corporate office were sent home for the day.

"When we can't find what was causing it, we err on the safe side," O'Neill said.

O'Neill said he expected it would take Xcel and building managers much of the day to pinpoint the problem because the building is large.