A broken gas main near the intersection of Spring Lane and Chapman Street in Canton forced firefighters to evacuate nearby homes Thursday, as crews worked to contain what officials called an active emergency. A preliminary investigation found the rupture involved a 2-inch line, and residents in the immediate area were told to leave while Eversource Energy crews responded to the scene.
Canton Fire Chief Jamie Meier said the situation remained an active emergency and asked people to avoid the area surrounding the intersection until officials could confirm it was safe, according to WHDH. Drivers were also asked to steer clear of the immediate vicinity while the leak was addressed. In a public safety advisory, John Guilfoil Public Relations instructed motorists to avoid the surrounding streets entirely and use Washington Street, the main commercial corridor through Canton Center, as a detour.
Homes Cleared as Crews Isolate the Line
Homes along Spring Street were evacuated because of the reported leak, and Eversource Energy crews were on scene working alongside Canton firefighters to manage the rupture. Under the utility's own emergency safety protocols, responding crews coordinate directly with local fire departments to perform air monitoring, isolate gas mains, and assist with structure evacuations during active gas releases.
Chief Meier took over leadership of the department earlier this year, when the Canton Select Board unanimously appointed him in May 2026 after he had served as a captain and later as interim chief, the town's executive body holding authority over such municipal appointments. The department has also recently added capability on the hazardous materials front: in early August, a new firefighter completed the 50-day Massachusetts Fire Academy Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program, which includes hazmat response certification.
Why Breaks Like This Trigger Immediate Evacuations
Under Massachusetts regulation 220 CMR 114.00, gas leaks are sorted into three grades, and a Grade 1 leak — representing an existing or probable hazard — requires continuous monitoring and immediate repair. That classification helps explain why a break as small as a 2-inch line can prompt an immediate evacuation and a full emergency response rather than a routine repair call.
State rules also govern how excavation work near underground lines is supposed to unfold. Massachusetts Dig Safe regulations require excavators to notify the 811 system at least 72 hours before digging and to call 911 immediately if a gas line is accidentally struck. Utilities that fail to comply with pipeline safety rules face civil penalties of up to $200,000 per day per violation under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 164 Section 144, with fines capped at a maximum of $2,000,000.
A Break in a Much Bigger Statewide Problem
Thursday's rupture is a small piece of a much larger picture. Compliance filings with the state's Department of Public Utilities show that more than 10,000 active gas leaks exist across Massachusetts' distribution network at any given time, a backlog that costs utilities tens of millions of dollars annually to repair, according to figures tracked by the Sierra Club. Eversource alone delivers natural gas to 121 cities and towns across the state, making it one of the primary utilities responsible for managing that aging infrastructure.
The financial rules governing how utilities pay for fixing that infrastructure are also shifting. In May 2026, the DPU capped natural gas utilities' Gas System Enhancement Plan revenue allowance at 2.0%, a move meant to push companies toward targeted leak repairs rather than costly full pipeline replacement projects, per S&P Global. Two months later, the Massachusetts State Senate passed an energy affordability bill proposing to phase out the accelerated version of that replacement program entirely by 2030, favoring building electrification, while Eversource has maintained that pipe replacement programs remain essential for public safety.
No timeline for reopening the affected stretch near Spring Lane and Chapman Street was immediately available, and officials had not said when evacuated residents would be able to return home.
