Water Leak May Have Caused Gas Problem; National Grid Deploys 100 Workers For Ocean Pkwy Repairs
Original post:
While we’re still waiting to hear back from National Grid representatives about yesterday’s gas leak, which caused an ongoing service outage in the area and construction up and down Ocean Parkway, our readers have hit the ground to find out what’s going on. Here’s what they had to say, and some of the photos they’ve sent in.
PayPaul, who contributed the photo above and several below, wrote this:
It seems, according to several workers I spoke to that the water [from a broken main] leaked into the gas lines which are almost 100 years old. Gas and water do not mix according to one and neither does the DEP, a public agency and National Grid, a private company based in England. A number of them told me the work should be completed by [today]. Of course that would depend upon the DEP, which is responsible for the water mains. These are also ancient underground structures. A complicated mess in which employed what seemed to be about 100 workers in 10 square block area south of the original break. Areas east and west of Ocean Parkway were being plumbed and dug to investigate any possible additional leakages.
And James W., who was our original tipster on this, sent in some of the photos below and this tidbit:
I was told that a 4 blocks around Ocean Parkway and Ave U are shut off. They are not expecting to have the gas restored before [today]. The reason, I was told, was a water main break on Ave U and Ocean Parkway that allowed water to get into the gas pipes. I saw National Grid is digging on the north side of Neck Road and O.P. Ave V and O.P., Ave U and O.P., E7th and Ave U, E8th and Ave U.
Nick Rosen, a.k.a. Master Plumber, a.k.a. the owner of Sheepshead Bites supporter Big Apple Sewer and Drain, did a little investigating on his own and reported back in the comments yesterday:
Gas service is off between avenue V and avenue X between Ocean Parkway and Coney Island Ave. There are at least 30 National Grid vehicles and a half dozen or so bulldozers that are opening the streets all over the place. There seems to be at least 100 National Grid workers on site. Seems like they can’t pin point the exact location of the leak.
Meanwhile, an anonymous commenter added the following:
I spoke with the lead supervisor he said the main pipe cracked at the joints and they are trying to excavate 5 different locations to replace the pipe fittings. His estimate was 3-4 days. Union timing is 7 days. They will work day and Night in shifts until the service is restored. I am happy To see them working but not at 12 at night Very hard to sleep with the noise.
We received several other complaints about the noise from the construction going late into the night.
We will provide an update when we hear back from National Grid. In the meantime, feel free to add more information, or grouse, in the comments below.