The Hampton Fire Department made good use of the mutual aid system Thursday evening as it and surrounding departments responded to a gas leak in commercial buildings, a fire alarm at another store and a cardiac case that required a medical helicopter -- all within an hour.
Fire Chief Dave Gunderman said the events began just before 7 p.m. when employees at a pair of stores, Great Clips and Famous Brand Shoes, at the Sussex County Mall smelled gas.
The stores were evacuated and volunteer firefighters traced the gas to loose elbows on the roof of the adjoining stores. The gas was turned off and firefighters determined that there was an explosive level of gas inside the stores.
The chief said the heating units are on the roof of the stores and the fresh air intakes picked up the gas and brought it inside the buildings.
There were no injuries nor any explosion. The gas was turned off and Elizabethtown Gas Co., was called to send technicians to the scene.
As units were at that scene, including Newton, Stillwater, Fredon and Branchville, there was a fire alarm at the Walmart store across Route 206 from the mall.