Memorial Drive businesses evacuated after gas leak

LANCASTER – On Monday, customers had to be evacuated from businesses in the Plaza Shopping Center and nearby McDonald's following a major gas line break behind Big Lots.

A construction crew from Professional Pavement Services, of Waldo, was working on asphalt near a delivery bay door behind Big Lots when the gas line ruptured about 1:45 p.m. Monday.

Clayton Henderson, crew supervisor with Professional Pavement Services, said he had a crew trying to remove a concrete baluster from the asphalt when the line blew.

Lancaster Fire Department Capt. Brian Archer said his crews responded along with Lancaster Municipal Gas crews.

"No one was reported injured," Archer said. "We evacuated several nearby businesses, including (Buffalo Wild Wings), the China Buffet, Big Lots, and McDonald's temporarily until gas crews could shut down the line."

Lancaster Municipal Gas Superintendent Mike Pettit said workers were able to shut off the gas line to the Plaza Shopping Center within a matter of minutes.

"We are going to have to dig the area out around the line and put a splice on the pipeline before we can turn the gas back on to the shopping center," Pettit said. "Once we get the line repaired, our guys are going to have to go to each business and restart the equipment."

By 3 p.m. Monday all the businesses reopened.

During the original rupture, rocks and debris from the pipeline hole fell 20 feet away, shattering the rear window of a 2014 Nissan Sentra owned by Matthew Roe.

"I was working at McDonald's and spotted all the commotion going on over near my car and asked one of the employees to check on it," Roe said. "That's when I found out about the rear window."

Nothing else appeared to have suffered major damage.