Live wire sparked roadway fire, exposed gas main along Route 206 in Roxbury, officials say
ROXBURY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — A live wire that fell across Route 206 near the QuickChek on Sunday night sparked a roadway fire and exposed a natural gas main, prompting a multi-hour emergency response, according to the Roxbury Township Fire Department.
Firefighters were called to the scene around 9:43 p.m. after reports of a wire down and arcing in the roadway. New Jersey State Police and Roxbury police officers determined the line was still energized and creating dangerous sparks.
Crews could not take action until JCP&L arrived and shut off power to the line. Once the wire was de-energized, firefighters extinguished the roadway fire — though heavy steam continued to rise from the asphalt due to the intense heat.
According to the fire department, the electrical arcing burned a crater in the pavement directly above a natural gas main. NJ Natural Gas was called in to inspect the line and make any necessary repairs. Yellow spray markings seen in a photo from the scene indicate the location of the underground gas line.
Fire crews confirmed the area was safe and cleared the scene at 1:11 a.m. Monday.
“This serves as a reminder of how quickly electrical hazards can escalate, especially when natural gas infrastructure is involved, and why it is so important to stay clear and let emergency crews handle these situations,” the department said in its post.
