Firefighters dispatched to false alarm
VANDERBILT – Firefighters from DL&V Fire Co. were dispatched Wednesday morning to a false alarm at the same residence where low gas pressure Monday night left nearly 300 residents without heat and caused the rear panel of a furnace to pop off. Kevin Logan, DL&V Fire Co. rescue captain, said firefighters responded to a second call at 208 First St. for an apparent furnace explosion, but were quick to learn the report was a mistake.
According to Matt Pitzarella, spokesman for Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, a person at the residence misplaced the correct telephone number that crews left to make further repairs to the furnace and instead contacted the company’s toll free number on their gas bill.
Pitzarella said the resident reported to a customer service representative that part of the furnace popped off and so the representative followed proper procedure by reporting the problem to 9-1-1, which dispatched the fire department.
“It was run through our system again as the incident happening twice and that’s why the fire department was dispatched,” said Pitzarella.
While gas company crews restored service to the vast majority of customers by 10 p.m. Tuesday, Pitzarella said they were back in the area Wednesday morning to continue with line repairs and restore service to the remaining customers that stayed with relatives the night of the incident.
“We individually tested every single furnace and relit them to make sure they were turned on,” said Pitzarella
However, Pitzarella said, gas company officials also learned some customers preferred to do it themselves.
The gas company received several reports of “low gas pressure” on Tuesday, which Pitzarella said indicated there was insufficient pressure because gas was no longer burning at the furnace.
The gas company alerted residents Tuesday that service was temporarily discontinued by posting flyers on their doors. Gas company employees also check meters located inside residences.
Pitzarella further stated that the rear panel from the furnace at the First Street residence caused black soot to discharge, which could have been an indication that it needed cleaned in addition to coming off because of the low pressure problem.
Pitzarella added the gas company is still investigating the incident along with the fire company and plans to repair or replace the resident’s damaged furnace.