Evacuation lifted in Merriam following gas leak at construction site
An evacuation order in place for some Merriam residents after a gas leak at a construction site was lifted Wednesday evening.
Multiple homes and businesses were evacuated around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the city’s Facebook page. Residents were cleared to return to the area just after 8 p.m.
As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, gas services in the area around Shawnee Mission Parkway and Antioch Road remained off as crews continue to assess damage, the post said. The city did not provide an estimated time for service to resume.
Repairs will continue through the night, the post stated, potentially affecting morning rush-hour traffic.
Emergency crews began repairing the gas line around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday, the post said.
In an initial news release detailing the incident, Merriam Assistant City Administrator Caitlin Gard said several roads in the area were closed as crews worked to repair the line.
Antioch Road was closed between Shawnee Mission Parkway and 61st Street, and 62nd Terrace was closed between Antioch Road and Slater Street, Gard said. It was unclear whether the roads had been reopened as residents returned to their homes.
“You may notice a strong gas odor near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Antioch,” the Facebook post said.
Earlier in the evening, Gard said several homes and businesses in the area had been evacuated “as a precaution” following the incident.
In a Facebook comment, the city said the Merriam Police Department had visited each home in the area affected by the evacuation.
The comment continued, “There should be no more evacuations at this point. If something changes, they’ll come to your door.”
In an email to The Star, Gard said “less than a handful of homes” were affected.
The biggest risk following the incident, Gard said, was potential explosion. According to the Facebook post, fire crews at the scene noted gas readings were not dangerous.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 7:11 PM.
