LEWISTON, N.Y. - Emergency crews in Niagara County spent most of Thursday morning and afternoon at a hazardous material incident on the Tuscarora Indian Reservation, dealing with leaking propane from a large tank at 5446 Walmore Road, about one half mile north of Saunders Settlement Road.
JP2 Propane, distributes propane to customers from a facility which also includes Jay's Place, a smoke shop and gas station.
Employees arriving for work this morning discovered that a valve at the base of an 18.000 gallon propane storage tank, which had just been filed the night before, was leaking.
According to Niagara County Director of Emergency Services Jonathan Schultz, the discovery was made during a routine, morning safety inspection.
As a precaution, an evacuation order was given to residents within a half mile radius of the facility which involved about two dozen homes according to Schutz, who also serves as the county's Fire Coordinator.
In an additional precautionary measure, students and staff were transported from the nearby Tuscarora Elementary School and moved to Niagara-Wheatfield High School to continue their day's learning.
Most of the propane was safely removed from the tank by drawing it into trucks owned by JP2, and the trucks of other propane distributors who responded to assist in the effort.
This afternoon, a device brought from the Rochester area by the NY State Department of Fire Services was hooked to the tank and allowed the rest of its contents to be burned off.
The section of Walmore Road between Saunders Settlement and Mt. Hope roads, which had been closed to traffic for much of the day, was expected to be re-opened by late afternoon.