One home was destroyed in an explosion and 15 were damaged after a natural gas line was struck, the Twinsburg Fire Department said Thursday evening.
Three houses caught fire after the house on Hiram Lane in Twinsburg Township exploded, according to fire department spokesman Lt. Michael Perlatti. No one was home in the house that was destroyed.
Two people from the neighborhood off of Darrow Road were taken to area hospitals; one was for reasons not related to the fire, Perlatti said.
Shortly after the line was struck by crews working in the area, the fire department issued an emergency shelter-in-place order.
Residents on Hiram Lane, Hiram Square, and Dorset Lane were asked to shelter in place because of the amount of natural gas in the area, the fire department said.
The city of Hudson said state Route 91 north of Middleton Road, on the border of Hudson and Twinsburg Township, was closed in both directions because of the explosion. The advisory was sent at 6:30 p.m.
At of 6:45 p.m., the only people permitted back in the area are those who need to pick up medication, Perlatti said. Much debris is in the area.
The Hudson Fire Department is assisting with the response. Because the incident occurred in Twinsburg, the Twinsburg Fire Department is the lead agency managing the emergency response, Hudson stated in a news release.
Residents in the Hiram Lane area were advised that until the gas leak is under control, they should not turn electrical devices on or off, start cars and should avoid anything that could create a spark. Appliances that are already on should be left on, according to the fire department.
Residents were told to stay in place until further notice.
This is a developing story that will be updated as information becomes available.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg Twp. home destroyed, 15 others damaged after gas line struck
Reporting by Alisson Toro-Lagos, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alisson Toro-Lagos, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
