Crew Hits Gas Line, Sparks Fire and Fuel Leak on Ewing St.

A road construction crew accidentally struck a pressurized gas line along Ewing Street Wednesday morning, sparking a machine fire, tree fire and a spill of up to 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

The accident happened just north of Cuyler Road.

Fuel spilled into the road and Hazmat teams were called. Princeton Police Cpt. Sutter said most, if not all, of the 1,000 gallons inside the machine spilled.

Trenton Hazmat was on the scene, working to cleanup the spill. Representatives from the state's Department of Environmental Protection and PSE&G were also present. 

Ewing St. between North Harrison Street and Terhune Road and Cuyler Avenue between Ewing and Walnut Lane were closed and some homes in the immediate area were evacuated as a precaution.

The fire could not be extinguished until nearly 3 p.m., at which point the gas was turned off in the area. 

Top Line Construction hit the gas main around 8:30 a.m. and cleanup will be extensive, Sutter said. 

No one was injured. 

Responding to the scene were Princeton Fire, Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, West Windsor Emergency Services, Monroe Township Emergency Services, Mercer Airport Emergency Services, Plainsboro Fire, Rusling Hose (Hamilton) Fire, and Trenton Engine #1.