A Yorktown Highway Department backhoe accidentally broke a gas main forcing the evacuation of several residences Tuesday.

The highway department was fixing a storm drain at the corner of London Road and Oakwood Court when the gas main broke. Yorktown police immediately sealed off the area around the break and evacuated the people who were home. The Yorktown Heights Fire Department was also standing by in case of an explosion. Fortunately no one was injured.

The highway department is investigating if the main was properly marked before the work began.