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Plant City Gas Leak Capped; Homeowners Allowed To Return

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 7, 2008

Updated: 07/07/2008 03:18 pm

PLANT CITY - About a half-dozen homeowners were allowed to return to their homes about 90 minutes after they fled because of a ruptured natural gas leak off Sammonds Road.

Central Florida Gas, the company that owns the line, was able to stop the flow of gas shortly after 3 p.m. About 1:30 p.m., a worker at the A.W. Moore dirt, shell, rock and sand storage yard hit the line, leaving it bent and ruptured, authorities said.

Homes were evacuated from about the 1700 block of Sammonds east to Alexander Street, Plant City Fire Rescue Capt. Stacy Stearns said.

Barbara Greenway, who lives nearby at 1607 W. Washington St., said she heard a loud noise and called authorities. She said she noticed a strong smell of gas.

Frank Powell, who has an auto service shop nearby, said a worker using heavy equipment hit the line. The worker backed the vehicle away from the line before he ran away, Powell said.

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