LARGO, MD — At about 11:45 AM, Tuesday, December 11, 2007, Firefighters/Medics from the District Heights area and surrounding communities were alerted to a natural gas leak in an apartment complex.

Fire/EMS units responded to the Park Berkshire Apartments in the 6400 and 6500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue and arrived quickly to find a heavy natural gas odor permeating the air.  A private contractor was excavating an area to repair a sewage problem when they struck a 2-inch high-pressure natural gas line causing it to rupture.

As a precaution, three apartment buildings were evacuated and monitored for any product that may have entered the buildings.  Washington Gas Company officials arrived and secured the broken gas line about 1:00 PM.

The majority of evacuated occupants were allowed to return to their units with the exception of 4 apartments/6 occupants.  If natural gas service can not be restored to those 4 apartments then management will provide those displaced occupants with vacant units.  There were no injuries in this incident.