Brewton utilities workers were up early Tuesday morning to contain a gas leak after a truck hit a gas line near the Grede plant on Ann Street around 5 a.m.

Utilities Director Ray Madden said a Grede employee apparently drove out of the plant’s parking lot and hit the gas lines.

“He shot across the road and the car got away from him,” Madden said. “He sheared the high pressure gauge off.”

Madden said city workers were able to make the best of the situation, rerouting the feed to East Brewton so that customers in that city were not shut off from gas.

“We were about to lose East Brewton,” Madden said.

The gas line break lost about 300 to 400 mcf — about $2,000 worth of gas, Madden said. Repairs will take a couple of days, he said. “We’re going to put it all back in service.”

Police Chief Monte McGougin said witnesses told police the driver was “showing out” in the parking lot, but the driver denied it. He was charged with driving without insurance.