A family that showed their patriotism by visiting downtown Bradford to watch the Patriot Day parade Tuesday were stranded on Main Street for more than an hour in cool temperatures when they couldn’t retrieve their vehicles from an evacuated street with a natural gas leak.
Brian and Valerie Abers, their daughter Amber Brien and her infant daughter, Paisley, and their nephew Steve Abers alerted police sometime after 7:30 p.m. about a strong odor of natural gas on Chambers Street. The odor was emanating from the vicinity of Thrifty Cleaners at 18 Chambers St. and could be smelled on nearby Main and East Corydon streets.
The family had parked their three vehicles on Chamber Street with plans to stand on Main Street to honor firefighters, EMS personnel and police who paraded in their vehicles through town in honor of the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the nation.
As they exited their vehicles, however, Steve and Brian Abers smelled the gas and flagged down a Bradford City Police patrol car that was driving in the vicinity. Within minutes, a fire truck was on the scene and police evacuated Chambers Street of pedestrians as well as people attending a meeting at the First United Methodist Church while Bradford City firefighters tried to find the source of the strong odor.
Lt. Cathy Mealy of the Bradford City Fire Department was in charge of the investigation and said she appreciated the call from the Abers as the situation was potentially dangerous.
“When we got there the smell was extremely strong … the police officer also smelled it and said when he drove by there he could smell it in his car,” Mealy said. “So that’s pretty strong.”
Mealy said she had the street blocked off as the gas fumes had the potential to be dangerous around open flames, such as from a cigarette lighter or from a spark created from starting a car.
She said the good news was that none of the readings of gas levels taken by National Fuel personnel was at dangerous levels, despite the strong smell.
“The (gas leak) is probably a combination of the building (line) and/or the supply line” to the building, Mealy explained. “Basically we’re going to monitor the (area and building) closely, it’s something we’re keeping an eye on.”
She said the owner of the building, Ben Nuzzo, was very helpful and arrived with keys for the investigating teams.
As for the parade, which Mealy and her crew of four were supposed to have ridden in, she said they were sorry to have missed it, but glad they helped take care of the community emergency.
“We heard (the parade) go by and we waved,” Mealy said. “We were supposed to line up for it and were planning to be in it, but we really appreciate the community support” from all who attended the parade — including the Abers.
