Fairmount Street, Second Ave. Gas Leaks Repaired

National Grid has repaired two gas leaks that shut down parts of Fairmount Street and Second Avenue yesterday afternoon, and both roads were open again by about 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

David Graves, spokesman for National Grid, said a routine survey team discovered the leaks, one on Fairmount Street and the other on Second Avenue, at about 1 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

Woonsocket Police shut down sections of both roads while the utility's crews excavated the lines and made repairs. Graves said sealant joining joinits in the lines at each site had eroded, allowing a dangerous amount of natural gas to escape into the densely populated areas.

Woonscocket Police Public Information Officer Det. Jamie Paone said the department began opening the roads to traffic at about 5:30 p.m. Graves said repairs were complete by about 6:30 p.m. He said the repairs were made without incident.

Graves said National Grid classifies gas leaks at three levels. Grade Three leaks produce little more than the odor added to natural gas to alert people to leaks, but don't present an immediate danger to public safety, and are monitored. Grade Two leaks present a more serious danger and are put into a repair schedule. "Grade Ones are made safe immediately," Graves said.