Natural Gas Safety
If you smell the distinctive rotten egg odor of natural gas, hear a hissing sound near a gas meter or pipeline or if you see a broken line please call our 24 hour Emergency Line at (540) 777-0623. We will send someone to check on the source of the odor free of charge, whether there is a leak or not. Never question and never assume someone else has called.
Here are some safety tips to follow:
If you smell gas inside:
- Evacuate everyone immediately, including pets.
- Leave the door open behind you as you evacuate the premises.
- From a safe location, outside of the building and away from the gas leak, call our Emergency Line at (540) 777-0623 or call 911.
- Keep other people and animals away from the area.
DO NOT do any of the following:
- Do not use a telephone or cell phone inside the building.
- Do not open or close any windows.
- Do not flip light switches; pull plugs or operate electrical devices. This includes garage door openers, door bells and any type of vehicle, machinery or equipment.
- Do not smoke, including e-cigarettes and vaping units, or light matches.
- Do not attempt to repair the leak or broken pipe, doing so can cause harmful consequences.
- Do not re-enter the building until you are told it is safe to do so.
If you smell gas outside:
- Evacuate the area
- Do not use electronic devices or cell phones near the area of the leak.
- Do not attempt to repair the leak or broken pipe, doing so can cause harmful consequences.
- From a safe location, away from the gas leak, call our Emergency Line at (540) 777-0623 or call 911.
- Do not smoke, including e-cigarettes and vaping units, or light matches near the area of the leak.
- Keep other people and animals away from the area.
If a pipeline is damaged while digging:
- If it is possible you have damaged a gas line but it is not leaking, notify Roanoke Gas so it may be inspected. Call (540) 777-0623 and leave the line uncovered. Do not attempt to repair a line yourself.
- Do not attempt to fix or repair the broken line, doing so can cause harmful consequences.
- If motorized equipment can be turned off safely, do so to prevent the ignition of accumulated gas.
- Abandon the equipment and leave the area on foot.
- Do not attempt to restart the equipment until you are told it is safe to do so.
- Do not use any electronic devices including cell phones near the area of the leak.
- From a safe location, away from the gas leak, call our Emergency Line at (540) 777-0623 or call 911.
- Do not smoke or light matches near the area of the leak.
- Keep other people and animals away from the area.