Gas leak ousts condo residents

The Marina condos and Green Dolphin Condominium Villas in Tarpon are cleared after construction workers hit a natural gas line.

By JANEL STEPHENS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 13, 2001

TARPON SPRINGS -- A gas leak Tuesday afternoon prompted fire officials to evacuate residents from two condominiums off Meres Boulevard for an hour.

About 90 residents were told to leave the Marina condos and the 800 and 900 buildings of the Green Dolphin Condominium Villas, west of Alt. U.S. 19. Tarpon Springs and East Lake firefighters, along with Pinellas County's hazardous materials unit, responded to a call about the leak at 2:22 p.m.

The leak occurred as construction workers were installing drainage lines along Meres Boulevard between Virginia Avenue and Alt. U.S. 19. They hit a 4-inch natural gas line buried 2 to 3 feet deep.

Workers reported the break immediately, and gas leaked for about 45 minutes before being contained, according to Tarpon Springs fire Lt. David Sharp.

"We had good winds, so we really didn't get a gas buildup," Sharp said.

Along with the condos, fire officials also evacuated several businesses along Pinellas Avenue, sending their employees a block north to Morgan Street.

"Someone from the fire department came in and told us there was a gas leak and that we had to go," said Debra Altman, a driver for One Stop Auto at 902 Pinellas Ave. "We didn't even have time to take our vehicles." Altman said that she had to evacuate her job for about an hour.

Officials said gas could be smelled as far east as Safford Avenue and as far north as Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Stephen Kane was leaving his apartment in the Marina condos to go to his job when he noticed firetrucks blocking his street.

"I didn't even know what was going on," said Kane, who works at a restaurant in New Port Richey.

"I heard firetrucks, and then I saw people wearing masks," Kane said. He called his boss and said that he would be late.

The roads around the leak were reopened at 5:30 p.m. No one was injured or complained of feeling sick as a result of the leak.

Tarpon Springs deputy fire Chief Kevin Bowman said that it is standard procedure to evacuate an area in close proximity to a gas leak.

"We look at the size of the hole, the amount of gas and the possibility of the gas meeting the ignition source," Bowman said. "We thought it would be appropriate" to have people leave their homes.

- Staff writer Janel Stephens can be reached at (727) 445-4243.

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