Massachusetts shopping plaza evacuated after "explosive" level gas leak
A shopping plaza in Middleboro, Massachusetts, was safely evacuated on Wednesday afternoon, 25 February, after a gas leak likely caused by a snowplow.
CBS News reported that the fire department responded shortly after noon to the Hannaford supermarket parking lot after reports of a strong smell of gas. Crews confirmed a heavy smell of natural gas inside both the supermarket and a hardware store, shut down the gas line and ventilated the buildings.
"All stores in the strip mall were evacuated, and crews located a gas meter behind the building that had been dislodged from the supply line coming from the ground. A preliminary investigation determined it was likely dislodged by a snowplow," CBS News wrote.
"Our crews did a great job quickly locating and shutting off the natural gas line," said Middleboro fire chief Owen Thompson. "We were extremely fortunate in this situation. The levels of gas in the hardware store were well into the explosive range, and we were able to evacuate and ventilate without any significant issues."
No injuries were reported and the scene was cleared at approximately 13:30.
"It's extremely important, following major inclement weather and at all other times, that residents remain vigilant when it comes to the potential dangers of natural gas," said Thompson. "If you smell gas, call 911, and we'll check it out. Always better safe, than sorry, when it comes to flammable gas and potential leaks."
