BURLINGTON, Vt. -
A gas leak in a Burlington's New North End forced some residents from their homes Monday morning.
A utility contractor was performing electrical service and around 11 a.m. an excavator digging on Sandra Circle nicked a gas line. Emergency crews responded, closing the road and evacuating nearby residents, like Ed Charboneau.
"All of sudden I got a knock and he says you have to evacuate, so I said oh ok. I was going out to open the front door and a heard the 'tssssst' noise like that and everyone was running around and scammering around," he said.
"We had gas flowing when we got here but it hadn't ignited. That's our main concern. So the engine company from North Avenue stretched a water line. We made a hydrant. We immediately applied some water to the sand to keep down the static," said Burlington Fire Dep. Chief Bruce Bourgeois.
The gas was shut off for a few hours while the repairs could be made. The electrical work is expected to continue Tuesday.
