Gas Main Break Causes Fire, Injures 3

NORTH WILDWOOD – A gas main leak caused an explosion with flames reaching 20 feet into the air at 24th Avenue near the boardwalk May 17.
An independent contractor hired by the city was patching and paving the street in the 400 East block 24th Avenue when workers accidentally hit a gas line around 4:30 p.m.
North Wildwood Fire Department’s duty crew was called to investigate the scene. The fire department contacted South Jersey Gas and waited until they arrived.
As South Jersey Gas crews were trying to repair the leak, an explosion occurred around 6:18 p.m., shaking the ground as far away as Wildwood, residents say.
“It was a quick explosion,” said North Wildwood Fire Chief Dominick McClain. “Loud, hissing noises from the gas.”
The fire department evacuated everyone within a 200-foot radius, including boardwalk patrons, two families from the condo at 440 E. 24th, and a tenant from an apartment over a boardwalk store.
Several area fire departments were called, including Wildwood, Stone Harbor, West Wildwood, and Rio Grande.
Firefighters couldn’t extinguish the fire until the fuel source was cut off.
“You can’t actually extinguish that fire until they actually shut down the source,” McClain said. “Because all you’re going to do is just push that [gas] back in and cause an explosion elsewhere.”
The fire department wetted the 2-inch, 45-psi lines enough for the gas company to crimp them shut.
“As long as the gas is actually burning, a free-burning fire, it’s safer than having the vapors back feed into the lines,” McClain said.
After the lines were crimped, the fire department had the fire under control around 7:10 p.m., McClain said.
South Jersey Gas is investigating the cause of the spark.
“Either some type of stones in the ground, or maybe one of the tools’ metal created the arc, and ignited the vapors and caused the explosion,” McClain said.
Two workers in the pit and one at the edge of the pit had minor, superficial burns from the flames. McClain compared them to “harsh sunburn.”
The three injured were treated and released.
A vinyl fence surrounding trash receptacles near the sidewalk at 440 E. 24th was damaged. A utility pole received minor damage, but Atlantic City Electric cleared it as safe, McClain said.
The scene was cleared around 8:30 p.m., McClain said.
The companies that responded were Squad 3, Engine 2-1, Ladder 2-2, Tower 4, Squad 72, Utility 2, Rescue 3, Ambulance 13, Ambulance 14, and Medic 9. Engine 3, Squad 13, and Engine 21 provided cover during the incident.
To contact Taylor Henry, email thenry@cmcherald.com.