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WILKES-BARRE — A natural gas leak forced a North Grant Street family from its home for a short time Tuesday afternoon.

There were no injuries reported in the incident, which drew city police and fire personnel and UGI Penn Natural Gas to the residential neighborhood around 12:30 p.m. North Grant Street was shut down between Coal Street and Amber Lane. By approximately 2:30 p.m. the leak was repaired and the family was allowed to return.

Thomas Walsh, of 60 N. Grant St., left with his children and sat on the front steps of a neighbor watching as utility crews focused their attention on a hole dug into the pavement in front of his house.

Walsh said utility crews had worked on the street about four weeks ago. He said that over the past few days he detected a foul odor and thought it might be from a dead animal in the vacant house next door at 62 N. Main St.

“This morning it was a little bit more pungent,” Walsh said. “I made the call. Good thing I did.”

Crews pinpointed the problem and were investigating the cause, said Joe Swope, spokesman for Reading-based UGI Utilities Inc.

“This was a leak in a plastic service line leading to 60 N. Grant St.,” Swope said.

After checking with firefighters on the scene, Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said “it wasn’t very serious.” He said firefighters entered several houses to check for leaking natural gas and had one finding at 60 N. Main St. that led to the evacuation.

UGI Penn Natural Gas workers pinpointed the location of a leak to a service line to a house on North Grant Street in Wilkes-Barre.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL080316GasLeak1.jpg.optimal.jpgUGI Penn Natural Gas workers pinpointed the location of a leak to a service line to a house on North Grant Street in Wilkes-Barre. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

A family evacuated after natural gas from a leak was detected in its North Grant Street house Tuesday watched the response by UGI Penn Natural Gas personnel and Wilkes-Barre firefighters from a neighbor’s front steps.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL080316GasLeak2.jpg.optimal.jpgA family evacuated after natural gas from a leak was detected in its North Grant Street house Tuesday watched the response by UGI Penn Natural Gas personnel and Wilkes-Barre firefighters from a neighbor’s front steps. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott