Hanover Area Fire & Rescue officials confirmed at 9 p.m. that the scene of the gas leak fire had been cleared and all evacuees were allowed to return home. Columbia Gas crews will remain on site to complete necessary repairs.
By 6:30 p.m., Deputy Fire Chief Joe Wysocki confirmed that the fire had been extinguished, and the gas leak had been shut off. Firefighters then began ventilating buildings in the downtown area, working on them one by one, according to Ted Czech, Public Information Officer for the York County Office of Emergency Management. The emergency was centered around 18 Baltimore Street.
The evacuation zone expanded throughout the evening, Czech said. In addition to Baltimore Street, areas affected now included Broadway, York Street, and East Walnut Street. Around 30 apartments were evacuated in total. The area is a mix of both residences and businesses.
Columbia Gas is preparing to open up the street to access the gas line. Chief Tony Clousher explained that they had been dispatched to a gas leak on Exchange Place, an alley off Baltimore Street. Upon arrival, they discovered black smoke rising from the pavement. It is believed the fire was caused by an underground blaze that damaged a gas line.
Met-Ed had temporarily shut off power in the area, but most of the electricity has been restored. Columbia Gas is currently digging near an adjacent gas line in an effort to isolate it and stop the leak, Clousher said.
Related Topics:
- Russian Arctic LNG 2 Project Restarts Gas Processing
- Conflicting Gas Signals in the EU Threaten Supply Security
- Can Iraq’s Gas Projects Withstand Trump’s Iran Crackdown?