Smell of natural gas closes several blocks of downtown Hoquiam

Roads blocked off, businesses evacuated between J, K, 6th – 8th while crews searched for source

By Dan Hammock • December 2, 2016 10:00 pm
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Hoquiam Fire and Cascade Natural Gas personnel investigate the source of the smell of natural gas Thursday morning. This is a view from the command post at Harbor Drug on J and 8th showing responders searching a building on the corner of J and 7th housing the Black Pearl Tavern and Breakroom Lounge. Several blocks of downtown Hoquiam were blocked for about an hour as the investigation progressed, and several businesses were evacuated. The scene was declared clear before 11 a.m., though a source of the odor has not yet been pinpointed. (DAN HAMMOCK|THE DAILY WORLD)
Hoquiam Fire and Cascade Natural Gas personnel investigate the source of the smell of natural gas Thursday morning. This is a view from the command post at Harbor Drug on J and 8th showing responders searching a building on the corner of J and 7th housing the Black Pearl Tavern and Breakroom Lounge. Several blocks of downtown Hoquiam were blocked for about an hour as the investigation progressed, and several businesses were evacuated. The scene was declared clear before 11 a.m., though a source of the odor has not yet been pinpointed. (DAN HAMMOCK|THE DAILY WORLD)

Hoquiam fire and police personnel were called to the 700 block of J Street in Hoquiam on Thursday morning by Cascade Natural Gas employees who reported the smell of natural gas in the area.

Hoquiam Police and Fire were on the scene about 10 a.m., along with City of Hoquiam and Cascade Gas personnel, and began cordoning off several major streets in the area while they searched for the source of the natural gas odor. In the end, several blocks between 6th and 8th streets and Simpson Avenue and K Street were closed to traffic. Simpson itself was not closed to traffic.

At the command center in the Harbor Drug parking lot, at J and 8th streets, Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers said, “The smell of natural gas was reported by Cascade Natural Gas. We are currently trying to pinpoint the source.”

Responders narrowed the search down to a building housing the Black Pearl Tavern and the Breakroom Lounge on J and 7th. Within a half hour or so, the streets were reopened and traffic resumed while Hoquiam Fire and Cascade Natural Gas official briefed one another on the next steps.

“We have not been able to find a source,” said Hoquiam Fire Captain Chuck Bates. Bates said Cascade will handle the investigation to find that source.

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