News

CO and natural gas leak in occupied commercial building - Dollar General Store, Smyrna Mart Shopping Center
Friday, January 25, 2013

At 0857 the CHC was dispatched for a reported gas leak at 116 E Commerce St., the Dollar General located in the Smyrna Mart Shopping Center. E44-2 under command of 44-18(Pierson Jr.) responded within minute followed shortly by L44, & 44-3. Upon arrival crews were met by employees of the store who advised they were smelling gas in the middle and front of the store. Crews entered the store and immediately found a heavy odor of natural gas, and crews also began to get escalating levels of CO on the meters. Crews masked up and performed a full search of the store with meters to check the CO levels. Crews found the strongest odor of gas and highest levels of CO in the areas of the HVAC vents in the ceiling. Upon arrival of L44 the ladder was set and crews went up onto the roof to check the HVAC units. Both the power and the gas coming into the 2 rooftop HVAC units were secured at the units. The main gas was also shut off at the meter coming into the building. Chesapeake utilities was requested to respond. Upon arrival of Chesapeake, 44 crews assisted with turning back on utilities for Chesapeake to be able to pinpoint the leaks. Once the leaks were found by Chesapeake crews all FD crews were released. 44-18 placed the scene under control and turned the scene over to Chesapeake Utilities, and the store manager. All units were clear and back in quarters at 1020. Units responding were E44-2, L44, E44-3, and Chesapeake Utilities. The CHC had 30 members respond, and were in service for 1 hour and 23 mintues. OIC was Captain Easley Pierson Jr.