Service on New Jersey Transit trains returned back to normal and businesses in Pearl River were allowed to reopen Tuesday afternoon following an evacuation caused by a gas leak.
A spokesman for Orange and Rockland Utilities says a gas main near Dexter Plaza in Pearl River was accidentally cut at about 9 a.m. by a contractor working next to New Jersey Transit railroad tracks.
Nearby businesses were evacuated for about 20 to 30 minutes by Orangetown police following the break. Authorities say nearby homes were not affected.
In the meantime, train service on the New Jersey Transit line in the area was temporarily suspended until the gas could be shut off. Five trains in all were delayed by up to 40 minutes.
"The conductor came over and told all the passengers there was a gas problem in Pearl River, so they couldn't continue on," says commuter Jose Badillo. "They told us to hold off and wait there."
Police say the contractor will not be ticketed for causing the gas leak, but his company may have to pay Orange and Rockland Utilities for the damage.