Campus Alert Archive
Rice

Construction Crew Ruptures Gas Line at Rice University, Forcing Six-Building Evacuation

TXgas leakemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On February 10, 2022, a construction crew working on the northeast side of Rice University's campus ruptured a natural gas line, prompting the evacuation of six buildings including Duncan College and McMurtry College. The Houston Fire Department and CenterPoint Energy responded to contain the leak. Buildings were cleared for re-entry by approximately 6:50 PM CST after the line was repaired.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Rice University
Private R1 · TX
~8,000 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTTwitter/X
Verified verbatimRice Crisis Management (@RiceAlert) Twitter/X post108 chars
#RiceAlert All occupants of Duncan Hall are now asked to move outside of the building toward the inner loop.
First public alert directed at Duncan Hall occupants — the building closest to the rupture point
Direction is to move 'outside toward the inner loop' rather than off campus, reflecting the localized nature of the gas leak
Posted from the @RiceAlert handle, Rice's primary public emergency communication channel
ALL CLEARTwitter/X
Verified verbatimRice Crisis Management (@RiceAlert) Twitter/X post112 chars
The leak is fixed, air quality samples have been taken in the affected buildings and cleared by HPD for reentry.
Three-part resolution: leak fixed, air quality tested, and HPD-issued reentry clearance
Cites Houston Police Department (HPD) rather than only the university as the authority for reentry
Lower-key tone than the initial alert — no '#RiceAlert' tag, indicating a closing message rather than an active directive
Context

Background

On February 10, 2022, a construction crew working on the northeast side of Rice University's campus ruptured a natural gas line, triggering the evacuation of six buildings. The leak was located near Duncan College, McMurtry College, and the new Natural Sciences and Engineering Building (NSEB). Rice University's emergency management system issued alerts to students, faculty, and staff instructing them to evacuate the affected buildings and avoid the area. The Houston Fire Department and CenterPoint Energy responded to the scene to contain and repair the leak. By approximately 6:50 PM CST, Rice officials confirmed the leak was fixed and the buildings were safe to re-enter. No injuries were reported. The incident demonstrated how infrastructure hazards during campus construction can trigger emergency notifications, and highlighted the importance of campus alert systems for non-violence-related emergencies that still pose immediate safety risks to the campus community.
Analysis

Key Findings

The gas leak was caused by construction activity, not a natural or deliberate event, highlighting infrastructure risks during campus building projects
Rice's emergency notification system was used for a non-violence hazard, demonstrating the versatility of campus alert systems
The incident was resolved within hours with no injuries, showing effective coordination between the university, Houston Fire Department, and CenterPoint Energy
Outcome
No injuries were reported. Six buildings on the northeast side of campus were evacuated. The Houston Fire Department and CenterPoint Energy responded, and the gas line was repaired by approximately 6:50 PM CST.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Gas leak prompts evacuations at Rice University, officials confirm (Click2Houston)
    click2houston.com
  2. News
    Gas leak prompts evacuations at Rice University (FOX 26 Houston)
    fox26houston.com
  3. News
    Raw video: Aerials of Rice University after gas leak caused evacuations (KHOU)
    khou.com
Tags
gas-leakevacuationconstruction-accidentnon-violencetexasprivate-r1hazmatno-injuries
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion