Gas leak in East Atlantic Beach

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The Long Beach Fire Department received a call at 9:31 a.m. Wednesday morning, reporting a high-pressure gas main leak on the 100 block of Bay Street in East Atlantic Beach.

First responders discovered that a 4-inch high-pressure main had been ruptured by a landscape contractor who was working to remove a tree, Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins said. Firefighters and Nassau County police evacuated eight homes in the immediate vicinity while helping National Grid secure the leak, according to Kemins.

“National Grid will now have to repair the broken gas main,” he said. “The initial crew comes in to shut off the gas, then another crew comes in later to repair the main.”

A National Grid representative confirmed that the landscape contractor was attempting to remove a tree stump when he damaged the main.

Once the gas was turned off, residents were allowed back in their homes, Kemins said. Gas can escape from high-pressure mains faster than from a normal main, he explained.

Fire Department operations ended around 11 a.m., once the leak was secured, Kemins added. The scene was turned over to National Grid, which completed the repairs. Its crews left the area about 12:30 p.m.