Vet Center demolition begins after gas explosion; Wilmington tops 100 leaks this year
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – On Tuesday, demolition begins at the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center after the building exploded during a gas leak in August.
The incident was just one of over a hundred in the Wilmington area this year.
“This year being at 104 at the very end of the year is certainly more than average but its not significantly more,” said Steve Mason, fire chief at the Wilmington Fire Department.
Mason said while there is a heightened awareness of gas leaks after the explosion on New Centre Drive in August, the growth in Wilmington is also a factor in the uptick.
“Wilmington is a growing city so there’s a tremendous amount of construction going on and not all of the gas leaks are a result of construction of course there are many different reasons for that,” Mason said.
Gas leaks are also caused by simply working on a gas appliance or digging into a yard to install a new sprinkler system.
Zach Victor is a spokesperson for Piedmont Natural Gas, he said gas leaks can be recognized by their distinct smell.
“If there is a natural gas leak, or you suspect one, it’s going to smell like rotten eggs,” Victor said. “It’s not going to smell very good.”
If you smell and hear a leak?
“If you suspect a natural gas leak, it doesn’t matter if you’re at home, if you’re on a walk, if you’re at the store, you need to get out right away and call 911.”
Before it gets to this point, Howard Corey an education liaison with North Carolina 811 said anyone who plans to dig must call them first.
After calling 811, an excavator will survey the property for utility lines, gas being indicated by yellow.
“We remind people, you know, respect those marks…understand what those utilities mean, and then dig with care.”
North Carolina law requires companies to call 811 before digging. If companies fail to call, they face fines of up to $2,500.
“Do your homework, you know and prepare and reach out to 811 and get those lines marked ahead of time, save us all a lot of trouble in the end.”
