West Mifflin Apartment Building Evacuated After SUV Hits Gas Line
By: Amy Wadas and Jessica Guay/KDKA-TV
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) - An SUV crashed into a gas line at the Mifflin Estates apartment complex, forcing dozens of people inside to evacuate. The West Mifflin police chief said his department is investigating the crash as a possible DUI.
Witnesses tell KDKA the driver was traveling down Lebanon School Road when he lost control, drove into a bush, then crashed through a wooden fence before hitting the back of the apartment building and taking out a gas meter. The crash caused a gas leak and sent some residents running.
"I'm just thankful the building didn't blow up while I was in there," said Alexis Jackson.
Jackson says waking up to the sound of people running and the smell of natural gas wasn't the way she expected to start her day.
"Starting my day like that, that was crazy. I was like OMG what's happening, I'm shaking, I don't know what I'm going to grab and not to grab," said Jackson.
When she went outside, she saw the scene: an SUV was resting against the back of the building she lives in at Mifflin Estates.
"He had to go pretty fast in order to go through that," said Jackson.
WATCH: Jessica Guay reports
West Mifflin's police chief said the call came in as a medical emergency, but they're now investigating the crash as a possible DUI. He says the driver didn't seem to know where he was when he was taken away in handcuffs, much to the surprise of some neighbors.
"I was surprised they put him in handcuffs because he didn't give that appearance," said Marlene. "Nice dress slacks, nice white shirt."
The Red Cross is helping the people who had to evacuate. They say 76 people total, including nine children, had to be evacuated. They were put up in a Port Authority bus to keep warm, then eventually taken elsewhere.
"We're just making sure they have some place to stay for the night and tomorrow and as long as they need at the moment," said Carlos Carmona, disaster program manager for the American Red Cross. "We're just there for them."
The gas meter wasn't the only thing hit. A spokesperson with Peoples Gas says the driver also hit a service line that goes from their main line into the meter, plus a house line that goes from the meter into appliances in the building. They say it's up to building management to fix those.
The residents cannot return to the building until the gas lines and meter are fixed and the gas is back on. Peoples Gas said building maintenance has to fix the service and house lines first. Once the building has a qualified plumber to make those repairs, Peoples Gas will then come in and repair the meter.
As for the driver, he's under investigation for DUI but has not been charged at this point.
