Ruptured Gas Tank Forces Evacuation Of Jail Prisoners To V.I. Legislature Building

Ruptured Gas Tank Forces Evacuation Of Jail Prisoners To V.I. Legislature Building

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Traffic in the downtown area of St. Thomas came to a virtual halt after a reported gas leak shut down the Farrelly Justice Center and surrounding area on Wednesday.

The gas leak led to a mass evacuation on the St. Thomas jail with inmates being transported to the nearby Virgin Islands Legislature building for safe keeping.

Ruptured Gas Tank Forces Evacuation Of Jail Prisoners To V.I. Legislature Building
The Alexander Farrelly Justice Complex in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

A federal court employee reported that a 500-gallon propane tank had ruptured about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, leading to the evacuation of the territorial and federal justice complex.

“Fire Services responded and found the propane tank leaking severely from the bottom,” Virgin Islands Fire Services Director Daryl George told the Virgin Islands Daily News. “We set up our Incident Command, evacuated the general area by standard and sent into an operation on how to get the tank moved.”

Ruptured Gas Tank Forces Evacuation Of Jail Prisoners To V.I. Legislature Building
Virgin Islands firefighters respond to the gas leak in St. Thomas.

George added that fire crews, with the help of a front end loader from American Bridge, the contractor hired to do the Veterans Drive improvement project, was finally able to safely steady and remove the damaged fuel tank.

Ruptured Gas Tank Forces Evacuation Of Jail Prisoners To V.I. Legislature Building