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UPDATE: Neighborhood Evacuated After Another Gas Leak in Wilkes-Barre

UPDATE: Officials say the gas leak was stopped around 6 p.m.  Crews still have to make repairs to fix the problem.  Authorities said the electricity was turned ...

UPDATE: Officials say the gas leak was stopped around 6 p.m.  Crews still have to make repairs to fix the problem.  Authorities said the electricity was turned back on to homes around the Hazle Street area around 7:30.  Officials tell us since power has been restored, the reception center at GAR High School has closed.

WILKES-BARRE -- An issue with a natural gas line forced people from their homes in a section of Wilkes-Barre.

Crews shut off power on Hazle and Stanton Streets Thursday morning after reports of gas problems in the area.

Police have put up tape and barriers within a two-block radius of Hazle Street and Stanton Street.

Even as UGI crews have been on scene for hours, some natural gas is still spewing out into the air.

"I looked out of my window and heard hissing, a hissing noise, after this big bang went off. Then the firemen started banging on the door telling us we have to leave," said Jonah O'Brien.

Since the gas started to leak uncontrollably, the fire department evacuated homes in the area.

Many had minutes to grab what they could and go, a few Christmas presents and some clothes.

Firefighters feared it wouldn't take much to cause an explosion with all the natural gas in the air.

"Due to the nature of the natural gas in the atmosphere, we had to turn off the power. So PPL was out here. We turned a large grid of power off so there wouldn't be an explosion," said Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney.

About 1,700 homes and businesses were without power.

Extra help has been called in from the fire department to prevent anyone else getting hurt.

Two UGI crew members were taken to the hospital after hitting the gas line near Hazle Street.

At least one woman was treated on the scene.

"During construction, we did hit a gas main which caused the leak, and right now we are working on a procedure to lower the pressure and fix the leak," explained UGI official Tom Brominski.

The gas leak on Christmas Eve comes just as UGI crews were almost done with repairs on last week's gas leak in the same neighborhood.

"This is a medium-pressure main. The incident last week was on a low pressure main. So it's a different gas main."

UGI is still trying to stop the gas from leaking. They have to slowly reduce the pressure from the gas main. To try and shut it off is far more dangerous.

People around here will not be able to get into their homes until the leak is stopped.

There is a shelter set up at the South Fire Station at the intersection of High and Parrish Streets and also at GAR High School.

Gas problems in the same area last week forced dozens from their homes and left people without gas for days.

Residents getting ready for Christmas Eve were dealing with evacuations.

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