By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A lockdown was lifted at about 9:30 a.m. at Helena Middle School on Dec. 7 after a natural gas leak was detected at the Helena High School construction site.

HMS Principal Scott Knight said the school was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure after workers at the high school site, which is across the street from the middle school, accidentally broke a natural gas line.

After the leak was reported, first responders and crews with Alagasco arrived at the construction site and sealed off the leak.

“Everything is fine now. An Alagasco employee just came over to tell us that we were good,” Knight said at about 9:30 a.m. “It didn’t really affect us, other than the smell. We just kept everyone inside as part of our safety plan.”

Knight said the school was set to have a normal day of classes.