This story has been updated.
Mars Hill schools were evacuated Wednesday because of a gas leak at the Pineland Farms Potato Co.
The Mars Hill Fire Department was notified of a natural gas leak from a tanker truck at the facility at 7:43 a.m., Fire Chief Gerald Cousins said.
Fire personnel evacuated the plant, sent employees to the Mars Hill Community Center temporarily and also directed nearby schools to evacuate, he said.
Firefighters contacted the Department of Environmental Protection and the Aroostook Emergency Management Agency, Cousins said.
U.S. Route 1 and Benjamin Street were closed while emergency officials worked at the scene. Aroostook County Sheriff’s deputies directed traffic.
The incident was resolved within an hour, Cousins said.
Both the Fort Street Elementary School and Central Aroostook Middle-High School were evacuated by 8:30 a.m., Fort Street Principal Heidi Garrison said.
Garrison said the schools would not be going back into session until Thursday morning.
Shortly after 9 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Arthur London reported the incident had ended and traffic was moving.
“The emergency is over. We’ve notified the schools that had evacuated,” London said. “Traffic has opened back up on Route 1.”
Pineland Farms staff were unavailable for comment.
