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Six employees of Mennonite Friendship Communities in South Hutchinson were taken to the hospital after a major gas line break just south of the campus Tuesday morning.

A work crew in a new housing addition ruptured the gas main with a back hoe around 10:30 a-m. The incident also forced about 30-residents of the retirement village to be moved from their apartments.

One employee was taken by E-M-S to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center while five others were taken by a company vehicle to Hutchinson Regional, mostly as a precaution.

The main buildings east side was evacuated and residents were being kept in another area of the building until the gas could be shut off.

An area of West Blanchard was also closed off while emergency crews and Kansas Gas Service employees controlled the break and shut off service to the line.