Gas Leak Forces Dozens From Homes In Brick

BRICK, NJ — Pat Brandon said she was sitting in bed watching TV Saturday morning when the phone rang.

"Our neighbor across the way called to tell us there was a gas leak and we were going to have to evacuate," said her husband, Walter, as the couple took a few bites of pot roast at the Laurelton Fire Company fire house.

The couple and their dogs, Lolly and Katy, were among 40 families evacuated Saturday as a result of a break in a natural gas main in the Lake Riviera development. There were no injuries in the incident, authorities said, despite Saturday's frigid temperatures. It was 14 degrees with a wind chill of minus-4 degrees in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Michael Kinney, spokesman for New Jersey Natural Gas, said the gas company was notified of the gas leak on Tennessee Drive at 11:37 a.m. and a crew was on site within 15 minutes. As the crew took gas readings they determined there were dangerously high levels of natural gas detected in the storm drains and called Brick Township police to evacuate residents.

Sgt. Neal Pedersen said Brick police were assisted by firefighters in going door-to-door evacuating residents on Tennessee Drive between Vermont and Montana drives. Kinney said homes on Hudson and Georgia drives were affected as well.

Linda Wolff was evacuated from her home on Lake Shore Drive and went to stay with family in another town.

"The smell of gas was so strong outside," she said in a comment on Facebook. "Everyone seems to be doing their job though trying to find it and Brick P.D. was making rounds evacuating residents. I hope all the people working stay safe and warm."

Pedersen said a warming tent was set up by Brick Township Police EMS on Dartmouth Court because of the extreme cold, and a command post was set up at Lake Riviera Park to coordinate evacuations. In addition to Breton Woods, Pioneer, Laurelton and Herbertsville firefighters from Brick, Pedersen said firefighters from Silverton, Lakewood, Point Boro and Point Beach also responded to assist with evacuations.

The Ocean County Fire Coordinator car 13 and New Jersey EMS Task Force responded with its Medical Ambulance Bus to assist due to the scope of the evacuations, Pedersen said.

"We were the only ones on the bus," Walter Brandon said. "My wife and I, us and our dogs."

"Everyone's been really nice to us," Pat Brandon said as a member of Brick's Citizen Emergency Response Team, which was activated, asked if Lolly and Katy would eat some chicken.

Pedersen said the source of the leak was found about 3 p.m. in the street in front of 404 Tennessee Dr., and the gas was shut off while repairs were made. The evacuation order was lifted about 4 p.m.

Kinney said the cause of the break was not immediately known. He said gas service was expected to be restored to the affected homes sometime Saturday night.

As of 11 p.m., "29 of the 35 affected customers have had their service restored," Kinney said by email. "Work continues on the remaining customers, and is expected to be completed tonight."

When an official with the township's Office of Emergency Management came into the room and announced they could go home, Pat Brandon clapped her hands. "This is our excitement for the year," she said with a laugh.

Photo of cones marking the site of the gas leak by Brick Township Police. Other photos, including Walter Brandon with Lolly and by Karen Wall, Patch staff