Wareham Gas Leak Shuts Down Swifts Beach Road for Hours
WAREHAM (1420 WBSM) — Route 6 in Wareham was backed up for hours Tuesday as a gas leak on Swifts Beach Road caused major traffic issues in the immediate area.
The fire department was alerted to the gas leak just after 9 a.m. on November 29. Firefighters arrived at the scene and determined there was “a significant gas leak caused by a utility company working in the area,” fire officials said.
Firefighters began evacuating nearby homes and secured the area.
Calls came into the fire department throughout the day from area homes reporting gas odors, which were responded to and metered, the fire department said, especially in the area of Nicholas Drive.
National Grid was able to shut down the leak at 4:09 p.m., with firefighters remaining on the scene to monitor the area.
“The Swifts Beach neighborhood was completely cut off during the emergency, until the Municipal Maintenance Department cut an access road from Swifts Beach Road to the Cromesett area,” the fire department said.
“Dave Menard and the crew from the Municipal Maintenance Department did a tremendous job making the Swifts Beach area accessible for both emergency traffic and residents. I really appreciate what they did,” Fire Chief John Kelley said. “While an extremely hazardous condition was present, our department along with the mutual aid companies took aggressive measures to avert a disaster.”
A total of 25 Wareham Fire Department members, both career and call, responded to the leak or stood by to answer additional alarms.