ERMA — Lower Township Police Department headquarters in the Cape May County Airport complex on Breakwater Road was evacuated July 27 about 12:15 p.m. after a major natural gas leak was detected.
The leak was caused by some demolition work being done outside the complex at an old pumping station.
The construction workers accidentally hit the pipeline, which supplies that pumping station and the public safety building.
All personnel, including police, fire safety; rescue and court workers were evacuated without incident.
That included Lower Township Communications personnel and all 9-1-1 calls, which were forwarded to the Cape May County Office of Emergency management in Court House, and rerouted to a mobile dispatch area set up in a nearby emergency management vehicle.
All calls of an emergency nature were handled in a timely fashion, according to police, and emergency services were not interrupted due to the gas leak.
Roads around the complex were closed off to traffic as a safety precaution.
This type of incident showed the ability of the county emergency service providers to work together in order to perform flawlessly and without interruption, even when the emergency involved a major public safety center, according to a police release.
Cape May County and Lower Township Office of Emergency Management along with Erma Volunteer Fire Company responded and checked the building. South Jersey Gas officials capped the leak.
The meters used to check the building indicated it was safe for all personnel to return to the building early in the afternoon.
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