Lincoln residents evacuated because of gas leak
25 residents forced from homes after crews damage line
LINCOLN — At least 25 Manville residents were forced from their homes Friday afternoon after a construction crew damaged a gas line in the road and set off a leak in the area of Church, Winter, and Division streets.
The incident was reported to Lincoln Police at 2:40 p.m. and prompted an emergency response by the Manville, Albion and Lime Rock fire departments to notify the residents and evacuate them from homes near the accident site in Church Street next to 67 Winter Street. Firefighters used breathing apparatus while working in the evacuation zone after the affected streets were blocked off by police and other emergency units. The accident occurred in an area of Manville where the streets are in the process of being repaved. The contractor on the work has been removing pavement with excavation equipment as part of the project.
Albion Fire Chief Richard Andrews, incident commander, said a construction crew hit a gas fixture in street apparently knocking off a valve in the process and starting the leak.
“It was a good amount of gas, in fact we evacuated two blocks of multifamily houses,” Andrews said.
The residents were temporarily housed at the Manville Fire Station while National Grid sent in crews to turn off the affected 2-inch gas line.
“They are on their way back now and they can be back in their houses,” Anderson said.
The gas company had conducted gas checks at all the properties evacuated to
make sure they were safe to re-occupy, Andrews said.
“Luckily, we had a little bit of a breeze that helped carry the gas away,” the chief said.
The day’s temperatures running into the 90s made it difficult for firefighters to work in their heavy turnout gear, Andrews noted, but no injuries were reported at the scene. National Grid was alerted to the leak just after 3 p.m. and immediately responded to shut off the gas, according to Amie O’Hearn, a company spokeswoman.
“Twenty five people were evacuated and they were all let back in their homes at 4:33 p.m.,” O’Hearn said.
The company worked with first responders at the scene to make sure everyone had exited their homes safely during the evacuation, according to O’Hearn.
Once the line was shutdown and the neighborhood deemed safe, a work crew began the job of repairing the damaged gas line.
Service to the 13 accounts affected by the line shutoff was being restored to all users by about 7 p.m., according to O’Hearn.
O’Hearn did not have details on how the line was damaged by the road crew but noted that National Grid always recommends that anyone digging in the roadway or even on private property should always call 811, Dig Safe, to have any utility fixtures in the area marked out before the work begins.
“We encourage everyone to call 811,” she said.