Jet fuel leak triggers two-hour shelter order
A drilling crew struck a 14-inch pipeline Thursday, containing jet fuel to a specific property in Upper Merion Township.
By Harper Collins ·
Residents in Upper Merion Township remained indoors from shortly after 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday following a leak in a jet fuel pipeline. The incident required a temporary shelter-in-place order for the community near the 300 block of River Road.
Township Supervisor Greg Waks stated that a third-party drilling crew installing electric towers hit the 14-inch refined product pipeline. Fire and emergency services classified the event as a Hazardous Materials Response. The leak originated near the Insurance Auto Auction location.
Emergency crews coordinated with Sunoco Pipeline to shut down and isolate the affected section. A township spokesperson confirmed that all jet fuel remained contained within the Auto Auction property and the adjacent Glasgow Quarry. This containment prevented the fuel from spreading into surrounding areas.
The response process faced a brief delay when a vehicle drove over a supply line used by Squad 56. Engine 27 repaired the line by adding a section of hose, which restored water supply. Squad 56 subsequently deployed 1,300 feet of hose to continue operations.
Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection established air monitoring stations to assess the situation. These agencies worked to remediate the area while law enforcement urged residents to avoid the zone until cleanup crews finished their work.
Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chair Jamila Winder reported that county public safety representatives assisted on the scene. She noted that officials were closely monitoring the underground pipeline strike during the construction activity. The shelter-in-place order was lifted by the Upper Merion Township Police Department after 5 p.m. Thursday.
