An early morning gas leak Monday brought traffic to a standstill in part of downtown Santa Barbara as streets were blocked off near the intersection of Canon Perdido and Santa Barbara streets.

Santa Barbara Fire Battalion Chief Pat McElroy said a crew working to repair a water line at Santa Barbara and Canon Perdido streets ruptured a Southern California Gas Co. line. Fire crews responded on the scene around 1:30 a.m. and evacuated several residents in the apartments above Sojourner Café, 134 E. Canon Perdido. Fire crews left the scene around 7 a.m., and had been standing by as a precaution. McElroy said that he expects the street will be open by Monday afternoon.

As of noon Monday, the 800 block of Santa Barbara Street was blocked off at De la Guerra Street and the 100 and 200 blocks of East Canon Perdido were blocked at Anacapa and Garden streets. Traffic was snarled in the area east of the downtown Post Office, 836 Anacapa St., as motorists abruptly encountered the detour signs.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.