Downtown Businesses Evacuated Due To Propane Gas Leak: New Canaan FD

NEW CANAAN, CT — A number of businesses in downtown New Canaan were temporarily evacuated Wednesday morning due to a propane gas leak, according to fire officials.

In a news release, Fire Chief Albe Bassett said the department received a report around 9 a.m. of a propane gas leak behind an Elm Street restaurant after a worker investigated an odor of gas and quickly identified a problem with a 100-gallon tank.

According to Bassett, the leak originated from the bleeder valve on one of the tanks in a four-tank cascaded system for cooking appliances.

Firefighters initially turned off all of the tanks except for the leaking one because ice had formed on the valve. A protective hoseline was then used to disburse the vapors, Bassett said.

Firefighters measured for gas concentrations and evacuated a number of nearby businesses on Elm and Main streets.

Police and the Highway Department assisted with closing Elm Street, Main Street from East Avenue to Burtis Avenue and South Avenue entering Elm Street to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, Bassett said.

Firefighters found non-explosive levels of propane in multiple buildings and basements. The gas was safely vented out of the buildings and the propane company responsible for the tanks helped remove the ice and close the bleeder valve, Bassett said.

Occupants were allowed back into the buildings around 10:30 a.m. and the restaurants in the area had their gas services restored by noon, according to Bassett.

Bassett also noted the incident was handled without injury or damage to any property, however there were still a few safety concerns he wanted to address:

• If you smell gas, call 911. "The call for this incident came into the firehouse on a routine telephone number," Bassett said in a news release. "The firefighters are often out of the station for training or other incidents."
• Know the company you purchase propane from. "We often need their technical assistance on scene," Bassett said, "and most companies will not work on other companies' equipment."
• Do not drive over fire hoses. "Water is critical to protecting civilian and firefighter lives and your property," Bassett said. "Vehicles damage hoses when [they are] driven over."
• Respect the areas that have been cordoned off. "Safety zones were established in the event the gas in the buildings exploded," Bassett said.