Hempfield residents evacuated after crash damages natural gas line
About 20 residents in a Hempfield neighborhood were evacuated from their homes late Tuesday night as a precaution after a natural gas line was damaged during a car crash.
The crash happened after 11 p.m. in the area of Swede Hill Road and Brownfield Drive, the Trib’s news partner, WPXI-TV, reported.
According to the station, a vehicle hit a pole, which fell, causing a transformer to catch fire and damaging a large gas line.
State police could not be reached for information about the crash.
Up to 35 homes in the area were evacuated. About 20 people went to the Hempfield township building, officials told WPXI. They have reportedly been allowed to return home.
Natural gas was rerouted to the homes, and crews were working to restore electricity early Wednesday morning, WPXI reported.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.