No one injured from fire after gas leak ruptured in Hagerstown business park

No one was injured Monday when a contractor struck a gas line near Antietam Broadband that led to a fire outside the cable and internet provider, Hagerstown Fire Battalion Chief Mark Cleck said.

An electrical contractor was using a torch behind Antietam Broadband when a gas line was ruptured around 11:30 a.m. Monday, Cleck said.

Antietam Broadband is off Willow Circle in a business park in Hagerstown's South End.

There wasn't a shutoff valve nearby so a Columbia Gas crew dug, in the grass off Willow Circle, to clamp the line off, Cleck said. It took about another 5 minutes for the remaining gas to burn off, he said.

The fire was out around 12:40 p.m.

Hagerstown Fire Department firefighters hosed down the nearby Antietam Broadband building and grass to keep them cool with the nearby fire, Cleck said. The fire was allowed to burn until it was out of gas from the leak. The gas line was in a trench about 2 to 3 feet deep and the flames were less than 10 feet high, perhaps around 6 feet, Cleck said.

The cable company was evacuated for over an hour during the incident, he said.

More Washington County news:Hagerstown man charged after threat to blow up Maryland MVA