Pocono News Section

Gas Leak Forces Evacuation at Williamsport Plant

Gas Leak Forces Evacuation at Williamsport Plant - Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 5:35PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 @ 05:35pm EST
Loyalsock Township, Lycoming County-

Firefighters faced a potentially explosive situation in one part of Lycoming County Tuesday.

They were called to a reported gas spill at the Coca-Cola plant on Washington Boulevard in Loyalsock Township.

Once inside they found a natural gas main had been ruptured.

Homes and businesses in the area were evacuated for about 90 minutes as a precaution.

Loyalsock Township Assistant Fire Chief Charles Wentzell explained, "We waited for awhile for it to naturally ventilate itself. Once that was done we had a representative from the gas company and two of our firefighters go in and take readings from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor to make sure the building was safe."

We're told an employee driving a forklift may have caused the rupture. But the cause of that gas leak is still officially under investigation.