Crew Hits Gas Line at Chuck E. Cheese's Site

A construction crew working in front of the new Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant on Andrew Road in Springfield hit and ruptured a gas line Thursday morning, forcing evacuations of two nearby homes and the Stoney Creek Shopping Center.

No one was injured when according to Springfield Township Manager and Fire Marshal Lee Fulton, a backhoe his a four inch pressurized gas line. The accident tore a hole in the plastic pipe sending invisible, but smelly fumes into the air.

The stench of gas could be smelled as far away as Springfield Fire Company, more than a mile away on Saxer Avenue.

Fire and EMS crews from Springfield, Morton and Swarthmore raced to the scene. Andrew Drive was shut down at Baltimore Pike for about an hour.  Stoney Creek Shopping Center was evacuated as were two homes on Andrew Road right behind the Chuck E. Cheese's.

Fulton decribed tha incident as an accident and no fines are expected to result.

The evacuation order was lifted by 11 a.m. and Andrew Drive. was opened to all traffic access to the Franklin Mint Credit Union, California Tanning Salon, barber shop and other offices in the shopping center.