EDWARDSVILLE - Traffic resumed midnight Monday on North Main Street following a gas leak that evacuated several residents earlier in the evening.

A Kentucky contractor working for AT&T on utility relocation punctured a one-inch gas main under Main Street Monday afternoon. Natural gas built up underground and entered the basement of a nearby apartment building.

Emergency workers evacuated the residents and diverted traffic into the night as Ameren workers ventilated the gas and worked to repair the gas main.

Edwardsville Fire Chief Rick Welle said the leak was repaired and the road was reopened by midnight.

"Residual gas trapped underground was still putting off low gas readings early (Tuesday) morning, but it is being monitored by Ameren and (is) no threat," Welle said.

It was not known Tuesday if all of the evacuated residents had been allowed back to their homes. While power could be restored once the gas main was repaired, gas service was necessary to provide heat to the building, Welle said.

Contact reporter Elizabeth Donald at edonald@bnd.com or 618-239-2501.