Gas Leak on Coventry Road; Residents Being Evacuated
Decatur Metro | March 30, 2010UPDATE IV: Another update from The Decatur Minute – 2:00 p.m. — The gas line has been shut off but it will still be several hours before residents will be able to return to the area.
UPDATE III: The CodeRed alert also said that “Ridley Circle, Harold Byrd Drive and Mockingbird Lane to Westchester Drive were also being evacuated.
UPDATE II: Just received my CodeRed alert relaying much of the same info in the update above. One additional piece of info from the CodeRed: if you need transportation to the Rec Center, Decatur Police at the Coventry/Scott intersection can assist you.
UPDATE: From The Decatur Minute – 12:50 p.m.
The following streets are being evacuated: 300 to 600 blocks Coventry Road; Merrill Avenue; Chelsea Drive; Pope Circle; and Kathryn Avenue.
At this time, all residents residing in those specific areas need to open various windows throughout their residences then immediately evacuate from the area. The City of Decatur has established the Decatur Recreation Center as the staging and evacuation point for all residents. The Recreation Center is located at 231 Sycamore Street within the City of Decatur.
If you need transportation assistance to the Recreation Center, Police and Fire units are standing by at Coventry Road @ Scott Blvd. and will assist you in relocating to the recreation center.
From the city’s Lyn Menne…
There is a major gas line leak on Coventry Road. A contractor (I think DeKalb Co. but not certain) hit a gas line and residents in the area are being told to evacuate. We are sending out a code red telephone alert to all residents in the impacted area. We are setting up a temporary shelter at the Decatur Recreation Center for any residents who need a place to go. Will keep you posted.
Latest from Decaturish
I was wondering what all of the commotion was about. I was driving down Scott and police were everywhere. Coventry was blocked off and news vans were arriving. I did notice a strong odor of gas.
The good side of robo-calls.
Is traffic flowing on Scott?
Just drove past this 20 minutes ago. Coventry is closed off, but traffic is unhampered on Scott.
It’s a little disturbing to me that the Decatur Minute posting at 12:20 PM indicates the problem started “Earlier today,” but the robo-call to our home didn’t occur until 1:30 PM or so. Does the system always have that much lag time?
Hey, they had to log onto Decatur Metro and post there first. Let’s get our priorities straight…..
The Decatur Minute posted before I did.
My wife first reported fire trucks at around 11:30a.
Can’t speak to specifics on turn around, but a website is always going to be updated faster than a robo-call, since the web can be edited easily. A robo-call needs a script, needs to be read, and info needs to be 100% correct.
Am at work but was wondering what I would do if evacuated. I wonder if one can grab one’s laptop and blueberry and ask to be dropped off at Dancing Goats or Java Monkey! The opening of the windows routine would be awfully good for my son’s room. Can one throw away athletic shoes and sneakers on the grounds that they were gas leak contaminated?
Any concern about the other side of Scott; Garden Ln, Lamont, etc?
The AJC says, “The evacuation affects the area from the 300 block of Coventry Road north to the city limits. It includes all of the following streets: Merrill Avenue, Kathryn Avenue, Chelsea Drive, Pope Circle, Ridley Circle and Harold Byrd Drive. It also includes Mockingbird Lane to Westchester Drive.”
What about Westchester Elementary (CSD Central Office)?
I like their “Major Gas Leak Evacuates Decatur” headline. Geez…
Word is the gas is turned off but will be several more hours before residents can return. Per thedecaturminute.com
All clear given at 3PM for people to return to their homes per Greg White.
A guy goes to walk the Beltline and he comes back to find this. Guess I’m bunking at the shelter tonight!
Whoops. Just saw Steve’s comment. Guess I’m going home tonight!