LOCAL NEWS (MetroWest Daily News)

Firefighters urge gas users to take precautions

By Jon Brodkin
Thursday, July 25, 2002

Despite tragedies like the deadly explosion apparently caused by a gas leak yesterday, firefighters said gas users should be safe as long as they take precautions.

While regular maintenance can prevent most leaks, the most important thing for people to do when they smell gas is get out of the house, firefighters said.

"Do not turn on any light switches, do not turn on or off anything at all," Southborough Fire Chief John Mauro said. "Do not use the telephone. Get out of your house and call 911 from a neighbor's home."

If there is a certain amount of gas in the air, the small amount of voltage that runs through a telephone line could create a spark causing an explosion, Mauro said. Even turning on a flashlight could trigger a blast, Holliston Fire Chief Michael Cassidy said.

The explosion yesterday in Hopkinton happened shortly after a resident called the fire department reporting the smell of gas, but the call was made on a cell phone outside the home. The gas in the home was supplied by NStar.

Authorities said the blast, which killed two girls in a multifamily home, was apparently caused by a leak. If that is determined to be the cause, it would be the second such disaster in the area in the last few months.

A Framingham home exploded in May after a gas leak in the cellar. The family escaped but a firefighter was injured in the ensuing fire.

Those incidents are rare, but highlight the importance of people leaving their homes immediately when they smell gas, fire chiefs said.

Statewide, there are an average 12 explosions from gas leaks per year, state Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said. Blasts that cause multiple deaths are rare, he said.

Some of the chiefs said they do not remember an explosion caused by a gas leak ever in their towns.

"We get calls for the odor of gas regularly," Cassidy said. "But the number of times that the outcome is such a tragic result is very rare."

Mauro remembers one in Southborough 18 years ago that was similar to yesterday's. A building caught fire and one woman was burned seriously although no one died, he said.

While people who smell gas should leave their homes as quickly as possible, they should extinguish flames and open doors on their way out if it is convenient to do so, Coan said.

"Don't spend extra time going throughout the house extinguishing these sources," he said.

Opening doors and windows can circulate the gas and reduce its concentration in the air. That is important because explosions can occur when the amount of gas in the air is between 4.5 percent and 14 percent, or what is known as the flammable range, Coan said.

Tom Kiley, president of the New England Gas Association, said gas companies regularly inspect their gas mains and that the industry's safety record is outstanding. The gas association is an umbrella group of all gas companies in the area.

Kiley stressed that the cause of yesterday's explosion has not been determined beyond a doubt.

To prevent ruptures of gas mains, Kiley said people who need to dig near them should call 1-800-DIG-SAFE to determine where lines are.

"We don't want people digging near our facilities," he said.

Gas is no more dangerous to use in a home than oil, fire chiefs said. They recommend getting annual checkups of gas-powered appliances and to immediately repair corroded pipes.

"It's just ongoing preventative maintenance that is the key here," Franklin Fire Chief Gary McCarraher said. "As long as the proper safeguards are in place and things are maintained well, gas is a safe way to heat your home or fuel your stove."

There are some gas detectors on the market that set off alarms, but they are relatively rare, officials said. Natural gas is odorless, but typically has an additive containing sulfur to make it smell.