A gas line break at Freeney Avenue and Seventh Street has detoured traffic in the area.

The line break was secured about 2:55 p.m., according to city spokeswoman Diana Klink.

A contractor doing work at that location damaged the line, Klink said. Traffic was detoured from Sixth to Eighth streets and down Bank Street Extended.

Nearby homes and the Suffolk Public Schools Plant Service facility on Seventh Street were evacuated. A total of 54 people were evacuated, and Suffolk Fire and Rescue personnel are now in the process of making sure they return to their residences safely. Some of them were taken to the East Suffolk Recreation Center.

The recreation center is a polling location, but Klink said voting is not affected. Voters can detour through the Lake Kennedy neighborhood via White Marsh Road and Lake Kennedy Drive to reach South Sixth Street.

Virginia Natural Gas is on the scene, Klink said. The detours will remain in place for about another half hour.