NYSEG starts to turn the gas back on for customers in Montour Falls impacted by gas leak

UPDATE 11:30 P.M. (10/4): According to the Schuyler County Sheriff's Office, only 15 customers remain without gas services as of late Friday night. NYSEG will continue to restore gas to impacted customers Saturday, and will stay through the weekend to monitor the situation.

The Sheriff's Office is also advising residents that if they smell gas after service was restored to go outside and call 911 and NYSEG at 800-572-1111.

MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. (WENY) -- On Friday, October 4th, NYSEG employees started going door to door in Montour Falls to help impacted customers get their gas turned back on after a gas main break shut off service for roughly 400 people the day before. 

The break happened when a contractor working on a drainage pipe in the village hit a high-powered gas main. The Public Service Commission is being issuing a citation to the contractor, for not having a dig ticket.

According to Montour Falls Village officials, NYSEG employees need to physically go inside a home to get the gas turned back on and make sure all appliances are all up and running properly.

"They’re going door to door to either ask entry to your property to give you service back, or they’re leaving a door hanger because if residents aren’t home, when they return home, follow the instruction on the door hanger and call NYSEG, and they will respond with a team to restore their gas service," said Mayor James Ryan.

If a resident is not home when a NYSEG employee visits, they will leave a flyer directing the resident to call the Elmira Natural Gas Department at 585-484-2663 to schedule an appointment to get their gas turned back on. 

Anyone with any additional questions is being asked to contact the Montour Falls Village Offices or the Schuyler County Department of Emergency Management. 

Mayor Ryan applauds the quick emergency response after the main break happened, as local and county police and fire departments worked to ensure the safety of village residents.

"Our emergency services from the county, and fire department from Montour Falls and around the community were able to respond immediately, and those other agencies I mentioned, NYSEG and the [New York State] fire academy could all be on site within 30 minutes of the event, which really plays a part in taking care of the problem, and preparing for the future," Ryan said.

Also, New York State officials reached out today to WENY News clarify that despite what Village Officials previously said, the gas leak did not happen during excavation work being done on the Catharine Valley Trail, and that no work is being done on the trail that could have caused the leak.