Gas leak shuts down portion of Saugus street

SAUGUS – A ruptured gas main closed a section of Main Street in Saugus for approximately two hours Monday, also prompting the fire department to evacuate one residence and not allow cars to leave an apartment complex.”We weren’t able to let anybody leave until the time we were able to shut the leak down,” Saugus Fire Chief Donald McQuaid said Monday afternoon.McQuaid said a contractor working at Saugus Commons struck and ruptured a 2-inch gas main in front of 10 Newhall Ave. at approximately 10:43 a.m. Monday. Police closed Main Street at the intersection of Main and Summer streets and Main and Vine streets, rerouting traffic heading to and from Route 1 via the exit at Main Street.Officials could not let vehicles leave the apartment complex until the leak was resolved, and crews had difficulty finding the valve necessary to shut the leak off, McQuaid reported. He said crews eventually crimped the plastic pipe shut and Main Street was reopened between 12:30 and 1 p.m.McQuaid said firefighters evacuated one house; and two other houses firefighters wanted to evacuate were unoccupied.