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WILKES-BARRE — A natural-gas leak near one home on Meade Street prompted the evacuation of 12 neighboring properties Tuesday afternoon, Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said.
But the impact spread far beyond the two blocks of Meade when PPL shut off power to a much larger area as a precaution.
“Power was out from the (Wilkes-Barre) Intermodal Center to Laurel Run,” Delaney said, prompting calls from downtown businesses and loss of traffic signals at busy intersections.
The initial call came in at 12:52 p.m., Delaney said, and emergency crews detected “very high levels of natural gas in the area,” prompting the evacuations. South Meade was blocked off from East South Street to East Northampton Street.
Two long-term care facilities run by the Diocese of Scranton — Little Flower Manor and St. Therese Residence — were out of the affected zone but put into “shelter in place” mode, with the manager staying near the scene in case an evacuation was required, Delaney said.
When PPL was asked to cut off power, a wide swath initially lost electric service. But Delaney said the area without power was reduced after UGI came on scene and determined the leak was outside 182 S. Meade St.
Despite the fact it “was an extremely volatile situation,” only “one resident was affected by the gas and was transported to the hospital,” Delaney said. The chief noted the person’s condition was not considered to be severe.
UGI pulled up several manhole covers to vent the underground tunnels and to check for gas there, and a backhoe dug up part of the street for access to gas lines. But by 2:30 or so, residents were moving back into their homes.
Delaney said the street would probably remain closed until about 10 p.m.
