Fayetteville, N.C. — Some businesses in downtown Fayetteville were evacuated Tuesday afternoon because of a natural gas leak, police said.

Franklin Street was closed from Russell Street to Gillespie Street, and all side streets in the downtown area leading to Franklin Street were blocked off after the leak was reported at about 1:30 p.m.

Police said construction caused the leak at Fayetteville and Maxwell Street and that the evacuations were a safety precaution.

It was not immediately clear Tuesday afternoon how long the area would be closed, but police urged visitors to downtown to avoid the area, if possible. They were diverting traffic to Donaldson Street.