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Residents evacuated for natural gas leak

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry A construction crew breached a small gas line under Madison Avenue near Marion Street Tuesday morning, resulting in an evacuation of the surrounding neighborhood for a little over an hour.

Approximately 40 residences on Warren’s east side were evacuated in response to a natural gas leak Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred in the area of Madison Avenue and Marion Street.

Public Safety Director Ken McCorrison said that contractors were performing blacktop work and an excavator struck a small natural gas line.

McCorrison said that responders consulted with National Fuel, which advised the brief evacuation.

Madison Avenue resident Joe Frontera was home, about a block west of Marion Street, at the time of the evacuation.

City police, fire, and public works personnel cleared the area.

“They got us out of here,” Frontera said.

The hour away from home wasn’t an inconvenience for him.

“I took my dog for a walk,” he said.

He did not blame the construction crew, saying there have been pipes of different sorts criss-crossing the street for decades.

“These guys do a good job,” Frontera said. “It’s just an old street they’re taking care of.”

He was back at home before 11:30 a.m.

“We’re all good,” Frontera said. “We didn’t even get any gas smell up here.”

City of Warren police said in a Facebook post that a two-block radius was evacuated and that National Fuel turned off the gas lines in the area.

Police say residents should monitor National Fuel’s page for restoration of service information.

The work is part of a project to rehabilitate Madison Avenue from Malvina Street to Muir Street.

City officials say that the project might at times prohibit residents from accessing their driveways.

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