Natural gas levels remain inexplicably high today in the vicinity of Monday's massive gas explosion in Millersville Borough.

Officials this morning were trying to track down the source of the leak. Meanwhile, traffic continues to be routed away from Manor Avenue, the main thoroughfare between the borough and Lancaster city.

A blast caused by workers who struck a main gas line rocked the borough shortly before noon Monday.

The explosion blew off the front of a house on Manor Avenue that houses The Framery framing business on the first level and apartments on the second floor.

No one was injured.

Residents who had been evacuated in the vicinity were allowed to return home Monday night but have now again been displaced.

"Our problem is, we discovered  more gas," Duane Hagelgans, fire commissioner for the Blue Rock Regional Fire District, said this morning.

"We're trying to figure out where it's coming from."

A work crew from Empire Services, a demolition company out of Reading, is poised to begin work to take down the gaping ruins of The Framery building.

Empire operations manager Dean Smith said they are waiting for clearance to begin work on the white brick structure.

But Hagelgans said that might be awhile.

"We still have gas under the street," he said. "We have gas three blocks up. It's following the Verizon vault line and that's a problem."

Several manholes in the area have been opened to help vent the gas. But the primary manhole at the intersection of Manor Avenue and George Street — the point closest to the break — was paved over during street repairs.

Street crews are en route to unearth the manhole, he said. With a danger of natural gas pockets anywhere under the street, it's a procedure that will be handled "very carefully," Hagelgans said.
tknapp@lnpnews.com

VIDEO: Witness describes explosion on Monday