WILKES-BARRE --
UPDATE: 5:51PM
People have been allowed back in their homes and businesses since a gas main break along Stanton Street Friday morning. UGI was hoping to have gas restored to everyone by midnight, but crews are still working to clean any residual gas from the system before doing that.
Firefighters went door to door Friday morning, evacuating houses in a section of Wilkes-Barre after a gas leak.
It happened around 10 a.m. along sections of Stanton Street.
Wilkes-Barre firefighters swept along Stanton Street, for the five or six blocks from High to Hazle Streets and some side streets as well, telling people they've got to leave their homes.
The reason for the evacuations is what UGI called overpressurization of a gas line. Natural gas filled many homes.
One woman described what she heard when the situation first started.
"We heard this large explosion, a boom. The whole house shook and after that, we could smell gas and this is what we've come outside to, they told us to get out of our houses," said Colleen Waldron.
"All you smell was gas, like all the way upstairs," said Jason Jordan. "You can even still smell it."
The gas company stressed there was no explosion and residents were given the OK to return to their homes shortly before noon. They still have no gas heat or hot water.