Crews repair natural-gas leak in Liberty

Staff Report

Liberty

Crews wasted little time repairing a natural-gas leak on Wednesday along state Route 304 that prompted township police to evacuate nearby residential areas and closed the road for about an hour.

The apartments near the leak at 821 and 829 Churchill Road were evacuated.

Residents Lakeesha Moore and Bianca Mostella were two of the five evacuated Wednesday morning and said they smelled nothing when officials asked them to leave their apartments.

“I was wondering why the police were knocking on my door,” said Mostella, while carrying a baby carriage away from where she lived.

Fire Capt. Bob Catchpole said Ohio Department of Transportation crews were digging with a backhoe along Route 304 when they struck the gas line.

Township officials had Route 304 between Detroit Avenue and Sampson Drive closed for the leak.

Dominion East Ohio Gas crews had the line repaired before noon.