Gas leak in the center of Prague leads to evacuation of buildings

Firefighters responded to a gas leak on Opatovická Street in central Prague on Thursday evening, evacuating around 150 residents and temporarily shutting down nearby streets. Gas workers and police officers were also on the scene, closing Opatovická and its surrounding areas to ensure safety, Prague police spokesperson Violeta Siřišťová told ČTK after 7 p.m.

The Prague fire department reported that six buildings were evacuated due to the potential risk of explosion. Evacuation buses were available for residents, and buildings in the affected area were disconnected from the electricity supply as a precaution.

The city’s rescue service deployed a special Fénix vehicle, an inspector, and a rescue crew to the scene, though they did not have to treat anyone, according to emergency responders.

By 8 p.m., energy workers had begun reconnecting buildings to the power supply, allowing evacuated residents to return to their homes.

“Concentrations are still being measured at the site of the incident. Energy workers are reconnecting the buildings to the electricity. Subsequently, the evacuees will return to their homes,” the fire department announced on X, before 8:30 p.m.

Opatovická Street, located in the Nové Město area between Spálená Street and the Vltava Embankment, begins at Ostrovní Street and ends at Pštrossova Street.

No injuries were reported in connection with the gas leak.

In April 2013, a natural gas explosion in central Prague injured 43 people and damaged nearby buildings, including the National Theatre and Charles University facilities. The blast originated from a townhouse on Divadelní Street in Old Town.

The explosion shattered windows throughout the area, and authorities reported a lingering gas odor that posed a risk of further explosions.