Large gas leak in Frederick County causes evacuation of 25 homes Saturday

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/large-gas-leak-in-frederick-county-causes-evacuation-of-25-homes-saturday/2019/12/15/4eb8f9a0-1f71-11ea-86f3-3b5019d451db_story.html

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A large gas leak in Frederick County caused the evacuation of 25 homes Saturday morning, officials said Sunday.

It was the most serious leak of its kind recorded in the county this year, said Sarah Campbell, spokeswoman for Frederick Fire and Rescue.

Authorities said just before 8 a.m., a strong odor of gas was reported in the 13000 block of Sam Hill Lane in the Mount Airy neighborhood. After recording high levels of natural gas, authorities began going door to door to evacuate all of the houses along Sam Hill Lane, Larson Lane, and Lomar Drive. A shuttle bus transported residents to a shelter nearby while investigators from BG&E located the leak underneath a driveway.

Within three hours, the leak had been “pinched off,” Campbell said. Authorities determined that the neighborhood was safe, and residents were allowed to return to their homes. No injuries were reported.

Authories are still trying to determine what caused the leak and how to permanently seal it off, Campbell said.