Gas main ruptures, forcing dozens to flee school, homes
Joseph Benavidez
News Staff Writer
FITCHBURG — A gas line ruptured on Route 2A Wednesday evening, forcing everyone at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School to evacuate — including more than 100 children in a dress rehearsal for an upcoming dance recital. No injuries were reported.
“I was in the lobby and this cop comes running in screaming to get out of the building,” said Ana Bracken, one of the chaperones for The Dance Center of Winchendon.
At about 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, a high-pressure gas line ruptured while a dress rehearsal for the upcoming dance performance was well underway inside the school’s auditorium.
Westminster teen and a dancer in the show, Torrie Tenander, was one of the many evacuated — in her ballet shoes and costume.
“It was just running and frantic,” Torrie said. “The little kids were crying.”
Torrie was backstage preparing for her dance when a loud sound reverberated through the auditorium. She said she thought it was just an air conditioner kicking on until a Fitchburg police officer told everyone to vacate — that is when it got scary.
Dance mom Jennifer Clark of Jaffrey, N.H., agreed. She said the students — some as young as 5 — had been practicing for an hour when they were told to leave the building.
“We left everything — purses, jackets, shoes, everything,” Ms. Clark said. “Getting the girls out was our priority.”
Another mother, who wished not to be identified, said she was talking with the other parents before they were rushed out. She said her daughter was backstage and not knowing what was happening was “the scariest two seconds of my life.”
News staff photos by JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ A ruptured gas line on Route 2A caused a mass evacuation of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School in Fitchburg on Wednesday evening.
Students from Winchendon’s The Dance Center, above, and parents wait outside for the OK to return to Monty Tech after they were forced to evacuate due to a broken gas line on Route 2A Wednesday evening.
‘I was in the lobby and this cop comes running in screaming to get out of the building.’ Ana Brackenn
At about 7:15 p.m., the building had been emptied, with people gathering on the lawn. Then Principal Thomas Browne led the group farther from the building to the football field area. Shortly afterward, a Fitchburg paramedic herded the people farther away onto South Ashburnham Road because the wind was blowing the gas toward the people.
“You can smell it,” School Committee chairman Eric Olson said.
At about 7:40 p.m., the homes along roads near Monty Tech — including Roper Road, West Hill Drive and parts of South Ashburnham Road — were also evacuated. The school was able to provide a few buses to help keep the dance students warm and some citizens opened their doors to the girls.
School Committee vice chairwoman Barbara Reynolds gave her jacket to a 6-year-old girl.
“They’re cold,” she said while rubbing her arms. “You do what you can.”
Paramedics quickly provided blankets and offered the back of an ambulance for heat.
Then, at 8 p.m., Westminster firefighter Eric Butterfield said the leak had slowed enough for crews to begin the process of capping the line and checking for gas in the school.
At 8:46 p.m., the building was deemed safe and residents were able to collect their belongings and leave the campus.
As of Wednesday night, the cause of the leak was unknown. Unitil officials were on the scene to assess the damage.
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