Four homes evacuated in gas line incident

<span>CHESTER -- Four homes in a one-block radius were evacuated in a minor natural gas leak incident at the corner of Opdyke and William streets in Chester on Monday morning.</span>

<span>According to Chester Gas Department Superintendent Jeremy Homan, workers with Haier Plumbing and Heating - who have been installing the new water line along Route 3 south - pulled a gas line loose from its pipe tap while digging a pit.</span>

<span>"The gas line was under the sidewalk," said Chester Gas Superintendent Jeremy Homan to media at the scene. "(Workers) caught it and pulled it out of the tap.</span>

<span>"They didn't break it, they just pulled it out of the tap."</span>

<span>Chester Fire Chief Marty Bert said firefighters were paged out at 8:50 a.m. and remained on-scene for about 40 minutes. </span>

<span>"(The gas line) was right under the sidewalk, I don't think there was anything that could have been done to avoid it," Homan said, adding workers dug up the tap to the line and shut it off.</span>

<span>A crew with the Red Bud Utility Department was called in for backup.</span>

<span>"I called them just because I'm by myself," Homan said.</span>