Mahwah Condo Evacuated after Falling Ice, Gutter Break Gas Pipe

Two days after a similar incident at a business complex in the township, a Mahwah residential building has been evacuated after melting ice fell from a roof and severed an outdoor gas line.

Friday morning after 6 a.m., one of the Indian Hollow condo buildings was evacuated after a piece of melting ice and a piece of gutter fell off of the roof of one of the units and broke an outdoor gas pipe, Mahwah Fire Chief Ed Garza said Friday morning.

One of the residents smelled gas after the fall and called authorities, Mahwah Police Captain Stuart Blank said.

PSE&G was on scene “quickly,” shut the gas, and inspected the units before residents were able to return, Blank said. The incident lasted for about 35 minutes, he said.

Authorities were not sure how many people were evacuated from the condo building. 

The incident Friday morning was “similar” to one Wednesday afternoon at the Mahwah Business Park on Route 202, Blank said.

According to Blank, it is not so unusual for two similar incidents to happen in the township, given the weather patterns Mahwah has been experiencing.

“It’s just a product of the heavy, wet snow and ice melting and falling,” he said. “It’s something that people need to be cognizant of if they have an outdoor gas meter.”

Mahwah Fire Companies 1 and 2, Mahwah Police, and PSE&G responded to the scene.