Saturday, February 28, 2015

GAS LEAK, EXPLOSION SENDS MANHOLE COVERS FLYING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN, NEW YORK





FEBRUARY 27, 2015

AUBURN , NEW YORK

An apparent natural gas explosion Friday evening blew several manhole covers into the air and caused a street to be closed, but no one was hurt. 

The Auburn Fire department responded about 4:13 p.m. to Genesee Street for a reported gas explosion from a leak underground. One car was damaged by a manhole cover, but no injuries were reported. 

Rachael Juhl, the owner of Hunter's Dinerant, was just about to leave her diner Friday afternoon when she heard two loud explosions.

“I thought it was a car accident or something out front,” Juhl said. “We went outside, and there was a manhole cover that blew up under my car.”

The manhole cover that shot up and scattered pieces of Juhl's Chevrolet Cobalt all over Genesee Street was one of several on the street that were propelled into the air by a gas explosion around 4:15 p.m. Friday.

No one was hurt in the explosion, but both The Liberty Store, 5 E. Genesee St., and Speno Music, 3 E. Genesee St., had to be evacuated after responders with the Auburn Fire Department detected gas coming from the basement of the buildings.

Gas was shut off for about two hours at Speno Music and the Liberty Store after the smell was detected, according to Auburn Fire Assistant Chief Joseph Morabito, but other than that no widespread shut downs were expected.

Neither NYSEG nor the Auburn Fire Department found an immediate source of the gas leak. As of Friday night, the fire department handed the scene over to NYSEG, who drilled into parts of the road to search for potential problem areas.

The street was closed off between the Loop Road and Owasco Street intersections for about two hours. NYSEG has requested one westbound lane be left closed, so manhole covers could remain off and allow any potential gas fumes to fan out. 

Morabito said the gas line that runs down East Genesee Street to the bridge near Hunter's Dinerant is less than a year old. NYSEG responders indicated the problem could have been caused where the new line meets the old, Morabito said. 

If the source could not be found Friday night, NYSEG intends to be back on Monday to search for the source, Morabito said.
Source: auburnpub.com