Knoxville Fire Department and Knoxville Utility workers acted quickly to cap and ventilate a natural gas leak before it could ignite or explode, Sept. 19.

Captain D.J. Corcoran of Knoxville Fire Department said Knoxville Fire Department was dispatched to 126 Northshore Drive for smell of natural gas at approximately 3:50 Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 19. American Printing occupies this address, next door to Union Jacks Pub. 

When firefighters forced entry they found no one inside the gas filled building. An evacuation of several adjacent business was issued for safety reasons. KFD stood ready with charged water line as KUB gingerly dug down to gas line feeding the building to be clamped shut. The building was purged with fresh air via positive pressure fan to rid the interior of the gas which dissipated once out in the open environment.

Capt. Corcoran offered these tips, “Call 911 if you smell natural gas, it will have the smell of sulfur, (rotten eggs) call 811 before digging to make sure there are no underground utilities that may be struck.”

Union Jacks and American Printing at 126 and 124 Northshore were temporarily closed.