Leak closes DC's hydrogen fuel station

WASHINGTON (AP) - Hazardous materials cleanup crews are at Washington's only hydrogen refueling station, where a leak was detected early Tuesday morning.

D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said a Shell station with liquid hydrogen tanks was closed a little after midnight while teams deal with the high-pressure leak. Hydrogen is an alternative fuel for running vehicles. The gas is highly flammable and can explode.

Piringer said authorities have closed a section of Benning Road between Minnesota and Oklahoma avenues until the area is safe.

He said the Shell station has 10 hydrogen tanks, which store about 1,500 gallons of the fuel in liquid form.