Neighborhood Evacuated After Gas Leak in Springfield

By Kyle Meenan First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL ?- It was supposed to be the start of a new training class at the American Red Cross,a 6 p.m. start for new recruits to learn about disaster planning.

The class was abruptly cancelled when the Red Cross got called into action to establish an emergency shelter for dozens of evacuees from a large gas main break in Springfield.

According to Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department spokesman Tom Francis, construction workers at Evergreen Avenue and 12th Street ruptured a high-pressure 12-inch natural gas line around five o'clock Tuesday afternoon.

As a safety precaution, area residents were evacuated from their homes to nearby JTA buses, then, once the shelter was open, they were driven to the Riverside Baptist Church.

For one elderly gentleman, the excitement of the evacuation led to chest pains and another unplanned trip, this time to Shands.

For Joy Pinkney and her family, with 10 children under the age of seven, the evacuation was a cruel twist to a hectic night when her husband smelled gas and called 9-11.

"First we thought it was sewer gas cause they were working on the sewer lines," said Pinkney.

They soon learned how the gas main had been ruptured.

"And they [JFRD] came and they took us all in ambulances to busses."

Now, Joy says, she's just hoping to maintain a semblance of sanity.

"'Cause at home there's 10 kids running around one house any adult can contain them, there's rooms you know thay can go in. You can close doors. You can put up gates. Here you can't put up gates."

Four of the children were Joy and her husbands' before they took in his brothers four children as foster parents, and just four days ago Joy gave birth to twins, -- a little girl and a little boy.

But all 10 kids were remarkably well-behaved at the shelter, and just like Mom and Dad, they were hoping to go home soon.

"As soon as they let us go home it would be good. An hour-- two hours? That would be good, but I don't think that's going to happen," said Pinkney.

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