Gas leaks is capped after Gloucester fire

Firefighters and utility crews spent yesterday morning shutting down a natural gas leak that may have been caused by a three-alarm fire Friday night.


Fire Chief Barry McKay said the fire, which wiped out three businesses and did more than $200,000 in damage, was under investigation and said no cause had been determined. The probe had to be delayed several hours until the leak could be stopped.

''There was no gas odor last night when the fire happened,'' Deputy Fire Chief Allyn Smith said, ruling out the possibilty that the gas leak started the fire.

The blaze began about 7 p.m. in the Adesso Hair Salon, on a block of three-story brick and wood buildings. The salon was completely destroyed, along with a curtain shop and an art gallery.

McKay said four to six people lived above the hair salon, but escaped the building before firefighters got to the scene.

boston.com