Be aware if you have a gas leak in your home

LANCASTER- While my topic for this week has nothing to do with an incident that occurred in Lancaster, I believe on some level we can all relate to the Johnson family, a family from Wilson, N.Y., who recently lost their 14-year-old daughter and their home due to a propane leak, which caused a gas explosion.

The news of this incident was very sad and it wasn’t but a couple of weeks ago as my husband and I were leaving for vacation and he said, “Do you smell propane?” I didn’t smell anything, but of course my mind was focused on heading to Cedar Point to spend time with my sister’s family. I am not sure if that had anything to do with it, but I wanted to believe he was crazy.

Even though, my dad was staying at our house with our three dogs for safety precautions we turned off the gas to the furnace and fireplace, but left the hot water on. We finally left, but the thought of gas leaking into our home didn’t create a very fun vacation for the first few days.

In the meantime, we did call the propane company and in the end we decided not to have a service call because my husband’s brother went to the house to check it out and it turned out to be okay.

A couple of days went by and my dad called to say the hot water heater wasn’t working. So, we just figured it was time to invest in a new heater, even though the one we have isn’t that old, but things happen. So, the day we got home we discovered that someone was on our property and turned off the main to the propane tank. Apparently, the company took it upon themselves to turn it off, but neglected to call and tell us, and according to them they didn’t feel like they had too.

Now, I am not upset about them trespassing on our property and doing something we didn’t want them to do in the first place, I understand they were taking safety measures, but a phone call would have been nice.

Anyways, we decided to switch providers and in doing so the new company provided a free gas leak test. Well, it turned out we had two minor leaks, which according to the service technician could not have resulted in an explosion. But then it got me thinking about how lucky we were not to have gone through what the Johnson family did. I don’t know if that sounds selfish, but I don’t believe anyone should have to experience losing a family member or their home.

I would think that even though this tragedy occurred, the Johnson family would want people to learn from this experience, I certainly did. Whether it is natural gas or propane it is important learn all you can about the type of gas you have. The more you know...the more you will be safe.

Also, there are actually three ways to detect a gas leak, smell is the most common. A familiar odor like rotten eggs is added to both natural gas and propane. Near a leaking gas pipeline, you might see blowing dirt, bubbling water or an unusual area of dead vegetation. A leaking pipeline, appliance, storage tank or cylinder might make a hissing sound you can hear. If you ever suspect a gas leak, leave the area immediately. Then, call your local gas company or 911.

I would also like to mention that an account called “The Johnson Family Fund” has been set up at First Niagara Bank, P.O. Box 875, Wilson, NY 14172. Donations can also be received at Ransomville Free Baptist Church, 3924 Ransomville Road, and Wilson First Baptist Church, 265 Pettit St.