Gas sparks evacuation
The stinking odor of rotten eggs hung in the air around several blocks of downtown Charleston most of the afternoon Saturday after an underground natural gas line ruptured, blowing a hole in the pavement near Coming and Carolina streets and prompting the temporary evacuation of several homes.
The pungent smell wafted on the breeze several blocks away from the leak, prompting passersby to crinkle their noses and look around with alarm.
Charleston police and fire officials evacuated several surrounding homes around noon until the line could be shut off by crews from South Carolina Electric & Gas.
The leak was isolated and shut off shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday.
Residential gas service was not affected, according to the utility.
The 4-inch main that ruptured was under the street surface, near the middle of the intersection.
A wavy haze of leaking gas could be seen rising from a large hole in the street for hours. The force of the leak caused the pavement to buckle. Several vehicles, including a city firetruck, reportedly ran over the hole before authorities blocked off the area.
David Smith Jr. sat on the porch of his Sumter Street home because he said the smell was too strong inside. "What happens if it ignites?" he said. "It could take out a city block. At least, that's what it does in the movies."
Battalion Chief Raymond Lloyd of the Charleston Fire Department said residents in the immediate area were told to temporality avoid using any electricity because the gas is flammable. "Any kind of arc or spark can light it," Lloyd said.
Drew Bellamy arrived back at his Coming Street home to find it surrounded by police cars and firetrucks. "I thought my house was on fire," he said.
Police allowed Bellamy to quickly run inside to retrieve his three dogs, who all appeared to be unharmed.
Firefighters also planned to go door to door with gas meters as a precaution to check for any other problems related to the leak, said Mark Ruppel, public information officer for the Charleston Fire Department.
Sumter Street resident Nick Daigle, who was evacuated, was among the first to notice the growing hole in the middle of Coming Street. He said several vehicles heading north on Coming drove over the hole before authorities arrived and blocked off the street. "People were going over it and catching air," he said. "I thought it might blow."
Eric Boomhower, public affairs manager for SCE&G, said crews were working to isolate the leak and shut off the gas. He said the gas is not toxic and that the smell in the air was a harmless odorant called mercaptan, which is added to help people identify the presence of the odorless and colorless natural gas.
"Natural gas is not toxic," Boomhower said. "It is lighter than air, so it will dissipate."
Lloyd said it's not unusual for underground pipes to rupture, especially with fluctuations in the air temperature. "It's an old city. You've got old pipes. Things can happen," he said.
