Board of Education employees were evacuated from their office shortly before 1:30pm Wednesday due to a gas valve failure on the building.
According to Fire Marshal Scott Pelletier, Yankee Gas Co. was working on a valving unit on the Board of Education and Connecticut Light and Power building located at 1 Oxford Road.
Pelletier said during the work, a pressurized natural gas valve “let go,” emitting natural gas at 150 pounds per square inch into the area.
Pelletier said the firefighters assisted in the evacuation and isolated the area, adding that there were no CL&P employees in the building at the time.
Pelletier said Yankee Gas workers on the scene monitored the leak until the company’s maintenance division arrived and shut the gas line.
During the repair, firefighters and Yankee Gas employees metered the area for gas fumes and found no readings.
Pelletier said the wind also played an important role with some “pockets” of heavy gas fumes.
“The decent breeze out of the south dissipated the gas pretty quickly,” he said. “We didn’t detect any dangerous levels.”
Pelletier said Board of Education employees were taken to the Immanuel Lutheran Church on Great Hill Road and later escorted to Great Hill Shopping Plaza.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Judith Palmer said at the time of the incident she was sitting at her desk and heard what she thought sounded like a power washer being used outside her window.
Palmer said within seconds the smell of gas permeated the office area and approximately 20 employees were immediately evacuated.
“Within 30 seconds of the sound began you could smell the gas,” she said.
Board of Education employees were allowed to re-enter the building at approximately 2:30 p.m.
