Reading residents and others near Washington Street were evacuated Tuesday afternoon after a propane gas tank leak prompted a broad safety response. Roads were closed around the scene while local fire and police crews waited for the state’s Hazmat team and bomb squad, turning a neighborhood emergency into a multi-agency operation.
According to a Reading Police Department update, the incident was centered around 215 Washington Street. The post said the surrounding area was evacuated as a safety precaution, but did not report injuries, identify the source of the leak, or give a timetable for reopening the area.
Washington And Green Streets Closed Around Scene
Washington Street was closed from John Street to Main Street, while Green Street was shut from Eliot Street to John Street. The closures covered several downtown approaches and limited access while the response continued.
The Reading Public Library was opened to people temporarily evacuated from their homes, providing a cool place to wait. Police did not say how many people were affected or how long the temporary arrangement would last.
State Hazmat And Bomb Squad Requested
Massachusetts’ emergency-response guidance allows local departments to request specialized Hazmat and Bomb Squad resources for dangerous-material incidents, according to state guidance. In Reading, the call for those teams appears to have been a precautionary escalation while crews assessed the propane leak, with no explosion or criminal threat described in the public update.
The original update did not explain what caused the leak or whether the tank had been secured. Residents should avoid the closure area until local officials announce that it is safe to return.
