Suspicious gas leak investigated Downtown

By Everett Brazil, III

The Newkirk Herald Journal

NEWKIRK — A portion of the 100 Block of North Main Street was closed off Monday afternoon, Sept. 28 following a call to the Newkirk Fire Department of the possibility of a gas leak.

The call came in shortly after 12 p.m. after reports of a smell of gas were reported at the Newkirk Main Street office, 116 N. Main.

“I came in, and the next thing I knew, the entire block had to be evacuated,” said Newkirk Main Street Director Alyssa McCleery.

Firefighters arrived soon after and discovered the smell of gas, and soon closed off the east lane of north-bound Main Street during the investigation, as well as businesses along the block. Investigators did a search of the block to locate the source of the leak. Representatives of OG&E were called in to help with the investigation.

“We did smell something that gave off an odor,” Newkirk Fire Chief Adam Longcrier said. “We tried to locate the leak, but nothing was found. We did find a gas valve without a meter, which was cracked, and had it fixed.”

Although a smell was detected upon entering the building, no gas leak was found.

“We did not find a gas leak, and we’re not sure what the leak was,” Longcrier said.

No health incidents were reported in the incident, Longcrier said.