Residents Evacuated Because of Gas Leak in Hellertown

About 30 Hellertown residents were temporarily displaced from their homes because of a gas leak at Easton Road and Wilson Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

A "high level" of gas was detected and crews traced the leak to a pipe under Wilson Road, according to fire officials. A section of the road will remain closed until repairs are complete.

Crews took extra caution , according to Fire Chief William Bickert, because of a devasting blast that killed five people and leveled a block of homes in Allentown in February.

The Hellertown leak posed "significant danger," Bickert said.

Evacuees joined a group of bingo players in the basement of until it was safe for them to return home. They were displaced for less than an hour.

The initial report of a gas odor investigation came in at about 3:40 p.m.

The Patch reporter at the scene said a strong gas odor was evident in the neighborhood.