With the quick actions of a concerned citizen and first responders, a potentially lethal situation Tuesday morning in Gloucester Court House was rapidly brought under control. 

A propane truck carrying in excess of 2,000 gallons of LP gas malfunctioned and began spewing its contents from the top of its tank. No one was injured during the incident, which caused portions of Main Street and Belroi Road near St. Therese Roman Catholic Church to be closed for several hours and adjacent homes to be evacuated.

According to J.D. Clements, chief of the Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, Inc., the incident began around 9 a.m. when a concerned citizen was driving behind the truck along Main Street and noticed something spewing from the top of its tank. Clements said the citizen immediately contacted John Phillips, company owner of the truck. Phillips contacted the driver and then dialed 911.

“The driver elected to get off of Main Street,” Clements said. “He was ...