Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is working with responders to assess damage and make repairs following a fire in Hopewell Junction on Tuesday afternoon that interrupted natural gas service to approximately 500 customers and electric service to more than 4,000 customers.

The fire was initially reported at approximately 1:27 p.m. on Tuesday with Central Hudson crews arriving at approximately 1:33 p.m. As of 3:30 p.m. the fire has been extinguished. Central Hudson expects to have electric customers restored by early Tuesday evening. Natural gas restoration efforts are expected to extend throughout the day on Wednesday.

“Central Hudson crews have isolated the area where the fire took place and will work to make repairs once the area has been made safe,” said Eric Kiszkiel, Vice President of Gas Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “We are conducting direct outreach to our impacted customers, and once repairs are complete, we will begin the process of restoring service.”

Customers are urged to exercise an abundance of caution and to report gas odors they may detect by doing the following:

• STOP what they are doing. Do not light or use a match. Do not turn lights on or off or use a flashlight, cell phone or telephone. Do not turn on any other appliance or electric/electronic device and do not flush or run water.
• GO outside immediately.
• LET US KNOW by calling our gas odor hotline at 1-800-942-8274, or call 911.

Residents are advised to exercise an abundance of caution around downed power lines by staying at least 30 feet away and remember that downed lines can become entangled and hidden in fallen limbs. Residents should also remember to assume any downed power lines are live.

Customers are advised to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions:

• Never use kitchen stoves or outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors, as they pose a fire hazard and over time can give off carbon monoxide gas;
• Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer, an unopened refrigerator can keep food fresh for up to 4 hours;
• Beware of fallen trees and limbs, and use caution when traveling;
• Avoid the use of candles for illumination due to fire hazards;
• Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions on the use of emergency generators, and be sure to shut off the main breaker when in use and operate the units outdoors;
• Operate cars and motor vehicles outdoors only, and never inside the garage; and
• Avoid travel along roadways as hazardous conditions may cause driving accidents, including those involving utility poles which may cause power interruptions.

For more information visit www.CentralHudson.com.

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