Fire departments from two counties responded to a major natural gas leak on June 23 night in the 4700 block of Guy Road in Clayton.
Neighbors reported hearing an explosion about 8 p.m., later determined as an eight-inch wide relief valve opening at an above-ground regular station at a pipeline facility.
Garner Fire Department Engine 4 arrived and found a plume of highly pressurized natural gas rising some 20 feet into the area. Crews established a wide perimeter, with residents within a mile evacuated from their homes, and roads into the area closed.
The command post was established on Guy Road just south of the intersection with Highway 70. Apparatus was staged at that location, while rehab and medical monitoring was established at a service station also at that location. The service station was also used by incoming haz mat units.
Responding fire departments include Garner and Eastern Wake from Wake County, and Clayton from Johnston County. Haz mat units from the Raleigh Fire Department were special called. They arrived and begin preparing for atmospheric monitoring.
The leak was stopped about 8:50 p.m. Raleigh haz mat crews used an ATV to take air readings at various locations around the site. Crews demobilized and Highway 70 was reopened about two hours after the incident started.
Other agencies on scene included Wake County EMS, Wake County Fire Services, and Wake County Emergency Management.
