Columbus firefighters say just after 11 a.m. Thursday, construction crews slashed through a high-pressure power line less than a hundred yards from East High School.
Firefighters say within a half hour of the breach, they could smell gas in the lower level of the school. Students say that's when they were told it was time to go.
"They had told us to go get everything from the lockers cause we cannot come back to school," said D'Siyah Smith.
Columbus firefighters say they ordered the evacuation to avoid the worst possible outcome.
"The explosions that we've experienced in the last year with houses disintegrating...that's the worst," said Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin.
Martin said AEP worked quickly to cut power to the school and a nearby apartment complex to prevent the gas from finding an ignition source and causing an explosion.
More than 450 evacuated students walked to a nearby location to wait for their parents or catch an early bus ride home. Andres Waderker took it in stride.
"They just said schools out and that's all I thought about is school's over so I'm out of here,” Waderker said.
The students were smiling, but Columbus firefighters said ordering a large-scale evacuation is something they don't take lightly.
"We know it's an inconvenience to all involved so we waited until we started getting those traces of natural gas before making that decision," said Chief Martin.
Parents said the risk far outweighed any inconvenience.
"The kids' safety is on the line," said Andres' father, Brian Waderker. "You know you put children in danger it's not a good thing."
Crews are worked Thursday night to repair the damaged line and Columbus Public Schools said East High School would be back in session on time Friday morning.