Ruptured Natural Gas Main Shuts Down Businesses, Travel On Route 9 In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Route 9 remains closed Wednesday morning after a construction crew hit a natural gas main late Tuesday night, Toms River police said.

The road is closed in both directions between Cox Cro Road and Silverton Road, police said, because a 4-inch main in the center of the road near Riverwood Road was struck by a crew working on the widening project about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The closure also has affected businesses along the stretch of Route 9, which were ordered to remain closed until Route 9 is reopened, police said.

Residents along the stretch were being told to stay in their homes as well, police said.

The gas main feeds directly into the Autumn Ridge apartments and Complete Care at Green Acres, police said. Evacuations were not deemed necessary Tuesday night but authorities were proceeding cautiously.

New Jersey Natural Gas crews were on site overnight working to shut down the gas line, which had been open for more than three hours, and repair it, police said.

In addition, there was an open trench about 450 feet long along Route 9 that would have to be closed before the road could be reopened to traffic, police said. There was no estimate of when the road would reopen.

In addition to Toms River police, the Pleasant Plains Fire Department, New Jersey Natural Gas, New Jersey State Police and the state Office of Emergency Management responded.