gas leak

UPDATED: Pentagon City Hotel Evacuated Due to Large Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 6:00 p.m.) The Doubletree hotel at 300 Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City was evacuated  this afternoon due to a large gas leak.

The gas leak was said to be in the hotel’s parking garage. Firefighters at the scene reported strong odor of natural gas inside and outside the hotel. Guests and employees were evacuated from the hotel.

An Arlington County hazmat team and Washington Gas crews responded to the scene. Police shut down down Army Navy Drive between Eads and 12th Streets to accommodate the large emergency response.

Firefighters and gas company crews managed to shut off the gas after about an hour. Army Navy Drive reopened just after 5:30, and people are being allowed back into the hotel.

No injuries have been reported.

Unauthorized Construction Caused Clarendon Gas Leak

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

The gas leak in Clarendon that caused several buildings to evacuate last weekend was caused by unauthorized construction, ARLnow.com has learned.

Interior construction on the small, vacant space of 3127 Wilson Blvd caused the gas leak, and Arlington County’s department of Community Planning, Housing and Development said they have not approved any permits for work, and ordered the work to stop after the gas leak.

“On Saturday, our Building Inspector issued a notice of violation on the business and posted a stop work order,” CPHD spokeswoman Helen Duong said. “The business was doing major renovation without a permit.”

The small space, next door to Goody’s pizza shop, is owned by Tara Sharma, who also owns Classic Cigars & British Goodies (2907 Wilson Blvd). Sharma, who bought the space two months ago, said he doesn’t know what he plans to put into the space — except it won’t be a restaurant, coffee shop or ice cream store — but plans to make a decision in the next few weeks.

Sharma told ARLnow.com today that Washington Gas, which owns the gas line and the right-of-way for construction work, turned off the gas meter in the space at his request because “we don’t need the gas for the business.”

“I called them and told them there was a pipe there,” Sharma said. “They said ‘do whatever you want, there’s no gas in the pipe.'”

According to county staff, any penalties for unauthorized work in the right-of-way that caused the gas leak would be levied by Washington Gas. Representatives from Washington Gas did not return multiple messages seeking comment. Sharma said he hasn’t had any indication he’d be penalized for causing the leak.

Sharma agreed to stop construction while waiting for the county to approve his permit.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunflower on N. Stafford Street

Gas Leak Causes Evacuation in Clarendon — A Saturday gas leak forced the closing of Clarendon Blvd. near the Clarendon Metro station. Approximately 50 people evacuated six nearby buildings during the incident. Nobody was hurt. [Washington Post]

Proposal to Turn Basement into Classrooms — On Thursday, Arlington School Board members are expected to approve a $2 million project to turn basement crawl space into classrooms at Arlington Science Focus School. The project would end the need for the four relocatable classrooms on the school’s property, as well as a planned fifth. [InsideNova]

No GOP Treasurer Candidate So Far — The Arlington County Republican Committee doesn’t have any contenders so far to run in the special election for county treasurer. If no names are added by the August 15 deadline, Treasurer Carla de la Pava will be unopposed. [InsideNova]

Street Closed Due to Nauck Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truckA gas line rupture has a block in Nauck closed for emergency repairs.

Initial reports suggest a public works crew struck a one-inch gas line on the 2100 block of S. Pollard Street, near Fort Barnard Park and the intersection with S. Walter Reed Drive.

Arlington County police and firefighters are on the scene. Washington Gas was considering ordering an evacuation of houses in a two block radius, but measuring devices indicated that the gas had dissipated, according to scanner traffic.

Currently, only the 2100 block of S. Pollard Street is closed while crews repair the ruptured gas line.

File photo

Rosslyn Road Shut Down Due to Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) A road in Rosslyn has been shut down due to a gas leak.

Currently, 19th Street N. is closed between Lynn Street and N. Kent Street. We’re told a 2-inch high pressure gas line was ruptured. Police and firefighters are on the scene, waiting for Washington Gas to make repairs.

As of 2:20 p.m. the gas had been shut off and the road was being reopened to pedestrians. However, traffic restrictions are expected to remain in place.

Part of Glebe Road Closed Due to Gas Line Rupture

By ARLnow.com
1/6

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) Glebe Road has been temporarily closed south of Columbia Pike due to a gas leak.

Initial reports suggest a road construction crew struck an unmarked 2-inch gas line, rupturing it.

Police and firefighters have closed the stretch of Glebe between Columbia Pike and 12th Street S. to traffic while crews work to shut off the gas. There’s a strong smell of natural gas in the area, and pedestrians are being limited to one side of the street.

Drivers, particularly those heading northbound on Glebe, should expect delays in the area. Northbound drivers are advised to use Walter Reed Drive as an alternate route.

Police say they expect the road to remain closed until at least 4:00 p.m.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Intersection Closed in Crystal City Due to Gas Line Break

By ARLnow.com
1/8

Update at 4:45 p.m. — Firefighters report that the gas has been shut off. Police are attempting to open up a lane of traffic through the intersection.

Earlier: A gas line break may snarl the drive home for some Crystal City commuters.

The four-way intersection of Long Bridge Drive, Crystal Drive, Clark Street and 12th Street S. is currently closed to traffic while Washington Gas crews try to shut the gas off. Police and firefighters are on the scene, and streets leading to the intersection have been closed to through traffic.

“Expect major residual delays and avoid this area if possible, as repairs are expected to last several hours,” the county said in an Arlington Alert email.

The leak is in a large 8-inch gas line and there’s a strong odor of natural gas in the area around it. The break is causing gas to loudly bubble up through standing rainwater in the middle of the intersection.

Road construction crews were seen working on the intersection and on parts of Long Bridge Drive earlier this morning.

Gas Leak Shuts Down Roads in Buckingham

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1:35 p.m. — The “all clear” has been given. Road closures are now being lifted.

Earlier: A two square block area in the Buckingham neighborhood, near the Gates of Ballston apartment complex, has been closed to vehicle and pedestrian vehicle due to a gas line rupture.

Construction workers ruptured a 2 inch gas line outside an apartment building at the corner of 4th Street N. and N. Thomas Street, according to scanner traffic. Washington Gas is on scene making repairs while firefighters stand by.

Police have shut down 4th Street between Glebe Road and George Mason Drive, and N. Thomas Street between N. Henderson Road and N. Pershing Drive.

The road closures may soon be lifted, however, as Washington Gas has reportedly shut off the gas to the ruptured line.

File photo

Minor Gas Explosion at Whitlow’s

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:05 a.m.) A small gas explosion injured a repair person at Whitlow’s (2854 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon last night.

The incident happened around 6:00 p.m. A repair person was working on a stove at the restaurant when some gas that had built up in the stove ignited, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl.

The repair person was injured by broken glass, Karl said. The injuries were non-life-threatening.

On Twitter, the restaurant said it “had to close for 20 minutes” after a “small incident with our oven.” No additional information about the incident or the victim is available at this time.

Photo courtesy Mark Alves. Hat tip to David Johnson.

UPDATED: Gas Line Break in Crystal City

By Katie Pyzyk

 

Update at 12:05 p.m. — The line is capped and streets will reopen once emergency equipment is cleared from the roadway.

Earlier: Crews are on the scene of a gas leak in Crystal City, where several blocks are being closed to traffic.

We’re told a construction crew hit a two-inch gas line near Crystal Drive and 20th Street South. Crystal Drive has been shut down from 18th Street to 23rd Street while workers repair the line. Firefighters are currently checking nearby buildings for elevated gas levels.

There’s no estimate on when the road will re-open.

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