Senior citizens evacuated from Beaver Falls apartments after gas leak

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — A gas leak Thursday morning in Beaver Falls forced the evacuation of a building that’s home to more than 40 senior citizens, authorities said.

The leak happened at the Brodhead Apartments at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and 12th Street.

“They rang the doorbell, asked us to evacuate, so I got what I could and got out,” resident Darrell Smith said.

Beaver Falls firefighters went door-to-door of the five-floor complex, helping residents, some with medical conditions, out of the building.

“We could smell the gas when we got here and then we knew it was going up the walls,” Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe said.

Columbia Gas arrived at the quickly on scene and determined there were breaks in the mainline right outside the building. It took crews a few hours to dig the area up and fix it.

“I didn't smell any gas, but that apartment came and got me, and now, here I sit. It could've been a lot worse,” resident Doug Darlington said.

The Red Cross brought food and drinks to the residents while they sat outside or on buses, waiting to return to their apartments.

Cox Media Group