x
Breaking News
More () »

UPDATE: Residents Scramble as Another Gas Leak Clears Neighborhood

UPDATE: The leak has stopped and the electricity is back on to homes around the Hazle Street area of Wilkes-Barre.   Officials tell us since power has been rest...

UPDATE: The leak has stopped and the electricity is back on to homes around the Hazle Street area of Wilkes-Barre.   Officials tell us since power has been restored to the affected area, the reception center at GAR High School closed as of 7:30 p.m.   People are being allowed back inside their homes.

WILKES-BARRE -- Many residents affected by the gas leak in Wilkes-Barre were just trying to get ready for Christmas Eve dinner.

But instead they woke up with no water, no lights, no gas, and now can't even be inside their homes.

"My daughter called me around 9 o'clock and said, 'mother, get up. Are you alright?' I said, 'what's the matter?' She said,' there's another gas leak,'" said Sandra Wickkiser.

Wickkiser lives on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre. She and several hundred other people were forced out of their homes on Christmas Eve because of a gas leak on the street.

She knew something was wrong when she tried to turn on the lights.

"We have no lights, no gas, no water, no nothing."

Wilkes-Barre officials cleared people out of their homes on sections of Stanton Street, Hazle Street, and Park Avenue.

Some people who were evacuated had no place to go.

"Hopefully we can get out of here and go somewhere."

People who live behind police yellow tape have been evacuated from their homes and a lot of others have lost power. Many people just want to get inside so they can pick up presents and the food they planned on eating this Christmas Eve.

"It couldn't have happened at a worse possible time," said Thomas Skipkowski.

Newswatch 16 found one man packing up his car and leaving the city.

"I'm taking my family, our presents and food up to my son's house," said Daniel Johnson.

People could smell the gas from all over the city.

The employees and customers at the Rite-Aid on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard evacuated. That store is more than a mile away from the gas leak.

"Other people in the store starting smelling this heavy gas smell and one of our other technicians was getting light headed," said Susan Frame, Rite-Aid.

"'You got to get out of the store. Everyone get out of the store.' And I thought, 'ah, great here we go,'" said David Wert of Plains Township.

After a few minutes, UGI officials said the Rite-Aid was safe, so that store was able to reopen.

As for the people evacuated from their homes, they're still not allowed back.

For now, South Station in Wilkes-Barre is still open for anyone who needs a place to come and eat.

Officials are still trying to figure out what to do with those people if they need to stay somewhere else overnight.

Before You Leave, Check This Out