by Geoff Fox
A gas leak along Main Street at Joseph Hancock Park had Hancock’s Main Street closed and houses and businesses evacuated late Monday morning and into the afternoon of November 9.
Potomac Edison was setting a new pole near the park when it hit a Columbia Gas natural gas line. The break was reported to 911 early on as a gas leak in a residence on Main Street. Residents also called in the smell of gas in some of the houses nearby.
Because of the change in wind direction, buildings from Good Shepherd Preschool to Sheetz were evacuated by emergency personnel.
Main Street was closed from Pennsylvania Avenue east to Virginia Avenue during the leak.
According to a statement on social media by the Town of Hancock and Hancock Police, the gas was expected to be turned off no later than 2 p.m. with repairs completed by 5 p.m.
Main Street was reopened around 2:30 p.m.
Hancock Fire Department, Hancock Rescue Squad, Hancock Police Department, Berkeley Springs Fire Company, Needmore Fire Company, Clear Spring Fire Company, and Washington County Special Ops responded to the scene.
Firefighters and a Columbia Gas representative head to the sight of a gas leak along Main Street just before noon on Monday. Potomac Edison was setting a new pole near Joseph Hancock Park when they hit the natural gas line.
