A gas line break Tuesday morning on Richard Avenue forced the evacuation of nearby homes as emergency crews worked to contain the leak.
The break occurred about 8:15 a.m. when Shippensburg Borough Water Authority crews were repairing a water and fire hydrant line and struck a gas pipe that was improperly marked by United Gas Improvement Co. (UGI), Borough Manager Kevin Plasterer said.
No injuries were reported, but Assistant Fire Chief Dylan Woosnam of Shippensburg’s Vigilant Hose Co. said a gas leak “at this magnitude” warranted evacuating homes within a 300-foot radius. The rupture released a strong odor and a loud hissing sound as methane escaped from under the road.
Firefighters from Vigilant Hose Co. went door to door evacuating residents and warning them of potential dangers, including ignition and gas inhalation. Shippensburg fire police closed both ends of Richard Avenue and part of High Street, a heavily traveled route to and from Shippensburg University.
“Last thing we want is a big kaboom,” firefighter Josh Young said. He explained that large-scale gas leaks require only a small spark to ignite and warned that faulty wiring, open flames and motorized appliances could trigger an explosion. “If the lights are on, they stay on,” he added.
The road was cut open for repairs and reopened to traffic about 3 p.m. Plasterer said the borough will bill UGI for labor, repairs and any related fines because the company had marked the pipe incorrectly.
Shippensburg Borough Fire Chief Randy O’Donnell said no major or minor incidents occurred at the scene during the day.
This was not the first gas line rupture on Richard Avenue. A similar break occurred last year on the opposite end of the street.
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