Gas Line Rupture at Ridgewood-Glen Rock Border Sends 2 to Hospital

The owner of a Glen Rock home ruptured a gas main Monday morning, sending himself and a utility employee to the Valley Hospital for exposure to natural gas.

At approximately 11 a.m. the owner of a private residence on Grove Street near the Ridgewood border contacted PSE&G to report a gas leak, according to officials.

"The homeowner called PSE&G Monday morning after striking a gas line coming into the home," said Glen Rock Police Department Captain Jonathan Miller.

But when PSE&G arrived on the scene the utility employee had difficulty shutting off the line, according to Miller, and had to access the shut-off valve under the sidewalk in front of the home.

Miller said that an officer on the scene provided the PSE&G employee with a sledgehammer, which was used to break through the concrete and access the valve.

It was unclear why the valve would have been cemented over.

According to Miller an official with the borough's Buildings Department barred anyone from entering the home until the building is deemed safe for occupancy, Miller said.

PSE&G shut off gas to the home, and it shouldn't be a concern to neighbors, the captain said.

Glen Rock Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene and vented the house, which had filled with natural gas; and the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corps was on the scene to attend to the injured men.

Gary Stevens with the GRVAC confirmed that 2 males were treated for exposure to natural gas and taken to the hospital, before adding that both "seemed fine."

Sheng C. Chuo is the current owner of the property, according to public records.  

Well into the afternoon on Monday PSE&G crews were still on the property and widened the hole in the sidewalk and dug an additional adjacent hole on the front lawn of the home and several PSE&G vehicles were on the scene. 

Traffic was flowing in both directions on Grove Street, though a portion of the eastbound lane was closed immediately in front of the property where PSE&G was at work.