The New Canaan Fire Department responded swiftly to a propane gas leak behind 15 Elm St. on Wednesday morning at 9:15 AM. The leak was identified by a restaurant worker who noticed a strong odor of gas and traced it to one of the 100-gallon tanks in a four-tank cascaded system used for cooking appliances.
The source of the leak was a bleeder valve on one of the tanks. Initially, firefighters turned off all tanks except the leaking one due to ice formation on the valve. A protective hoseline was deployed to disperse the vapors. Firefighters measured gas concentrations and evacuated buildings from #1 to #17 Elm St. and #107 to #113 Main St. The New Canaan Police and Highway Departments assisted in closing Elm St. and Main St. from East Ave. to Burtis Ave. and South Ave. entering Elm St. to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
Upon investigation, firefighters found non-explosive levels of propane in multiple occupancies and basements. The gas was safely vented from the structures. The propane company responsible for the tanks assisted in removing the ice formation and closing the bleeder valve. By 10:30 AM, occupants were allowed back into their businesses, and gas service to the restaurants was restored by noon.
During the incident, the Norwalk and Vista Fire Departments provided coverage for New Canaan. The Fairfield County Hazardous Materials Incident Team was called for a possible flaring operation but did not need to operate.
Although the incident was resolved without injury or damage, the New Canaan Fire Department would like to address several safety concerns:
Call 911 if you smell gas. The initial call for this incident was made to the firehouse on a routine telephone number. Firefighters may be out of the station for training or other incidents.
Know your propane supplier. In emergency situations, the technical assistance of the propane company is often required. Most companies will not work on equipment supplied by other companies.
Do not drive over fire hoses. Water is critical for protecting civilian and firefighter lives and property. Vehicles driving over hoses can cause significant damage.
Respect cordoned-off areas. Safety zones are established to protect the public in the event of an explosion.
