NEWBURGH – Following infiltration of water into a portion of the natural gas system serving the City of Newburgh caused by an improperly installed water heater by resident, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. has restored natural gas service to 77 of the 82 impacted homes and building, and expects to complete all service restorations today.
The incident, which was first reported on January 21, affected homes and buildings in the vicinity of Palantine Avenue, Kennedy Place and Dupont Avenue.
“Overnight we were able to successfully clear the remaining affected natural gas mains and are now completing final service restorations,” said Paul Haering, senior vice president of Engineering and Operations.
e said that as water was removed from the gas mains, utility workers accessed each home and building to inspect interior piping and safely relight natural gas heaters and appliances. In some cases, gas meters were replaced and repairs to water-damaged appliances are required.
Residual water in the lines may cause temporary problems during the day, and crews are remaining on site to address these incidents, finalize repairs and perform safety inspections.
“We are pleased that the repairs proceeded safely, however many families were impacted by this incident,” said Haering. “This event underscores the importance of using qualified and when required licensed contractors when repairing or replacing natural gas and electrical appliances to ensure the equipment is installed properly and safely.
“We again express our appreciation to our customers for their patience, and thank the City of Newburgh, the Orange County Office of Emergency Management, the New York State Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross for their assistance as we worked together to restore natural gas service to our customers,” said Haering.
To view a video of Central Hudson’s response, posted on January 22, click here; and for more information, visit www.CentralHudson.com.
