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Gas Leak Fire Closes Roads, Access Limited To Area Homes

O'HARA TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A gas leak fire burned for hours early Monday morning in O'Hara Township.

It started after midnight, when a tree came down onto wires on Berryhill Road. That caused a spark which started a natural gas fire.

Crews tell us there was an unknown gas leak in the area.

The fire burned for hours at the intersection of Berryhill Road and Saxonburg Boulevard, and crews say the fire burned under the road as well.

A home across the street from the fire was evacuated and township officials said several residents did not have access to their homes because of this fire.

They posted the following on the township Facebook page, "Residents along Saxonburg Road, Berryhill Road, and adjoining roads can not leave or access their homes due to a gas line fire under Saxonburg Road."

Police Chief James Farringer said, "We are asking our residents who are trapped below this fire to stay in their residence. Do not attempt to come out, we can't put any traffic on the roadway."

After Peoples Gas shut the gas off and the fire burned out, PennDOT and township engineers were called in to inspect the road to make sure it was safe for traffic.

O'Hara Township officials say even once Saxonburg Boulevard reopens, Berryhill Road will be closed for the foreseeable future.

"Berryhill Road, which is the township of O'Hara road will be closed. We have storm water problems because of the fire. Some of our pipes are melted, we have to close it down, barricade it and then work on replacing our storm water system," O'Hara Twp. Manager Julie Jakubec said.

If anyone in that area has an emergency, crews say to call 911 and they will be able to get help to the area.

Peoples Natural Gas crews got the gas shut off around 5:30 a.m., but the fire continued to burn off the excess gas still in the pipe.

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