Columbia police and fire personnel responded to a report of a ruptured gas line at Warnock Street and St. Paul Street around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Ameren arrived to the scene to shut off the gas about two hours after a backhoe operated by a city worker had ruptured a two-inch gas line, causing serious levels of natural gas to leak in the immediate area.

Two apartment complexes and a few homes near the source of the gas leak were evacuated as a precaution.

No injuries were reported in the incident.