Snow Brings Down Roof Overhang In Wall, Causes Gas Leak

WALL, NJ — The heavy, wet snow brought by Wednesday's nor'easter caused a roof overhang on an office building to collapse early Thursday morning, causing a natural gas leak, Wall Township police said.

The collapse at 2414 Route 34 in Wall, an office building that houses businesses including a physical therapy office, triggered a fire alarm at 3:41 a.m., Wall Capt. Greg Carpino said Thursday afternoon.

Patrolman Steven Swenson found part of the roof overhang at the back of the building had fallen and hit the natural gas line supplying the building, which caused the leak, Carpino said. New Jersey Natural Gas shut off the gas to the building, which was unoccupied at the time.

South Wall Fire Chief John A. Sahatjian said the debris broke sprinkler lines, damaged and exposed electrical panels and severed the gas mains going into the building but did not cause structural damage to the building.

There were no reported injuries, Carpino said.

Wall Township received 11.5 inches of snow in the nor'easter, according to the National Weather Service, slightly less than some neighboring towns where the snow brought down trees and power lines. Nearly 500 customers remained without power in Wall, according to Jersey Central Power & Light, which is estimating power will be restored to all of its customers in Monmouth and Ocean counties by late Friday evening.

Route 34 was shut down in both directions for about 30 minutes and traffic was detoured at Lakewood Road and Paynter’s Road, he said.

Jersey Central Power and Light, South Wall Fire Department and Wall Community First Aid also responded and assisted, Carpino said.

Photo provided by South Wall Fire Chief John A. Sahatjian