Crews were dispatched to a natural gas leak at 11:03 a.m. Saturday on Route 61 between Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Losch Discount Oil in Pottsville.
Matt Wentz, chief of Mount Carbon/ North Manheim Township Fire Company No. 1, said that a vehicle, driven by an elderly man, went off the road after he lost control, ran over the gas regulation station and then hit two parked cars.
No injuries were reported.
The road was shut down for a short time, but by 12:17 p.m. Route 61 south was open to only one lane of travel.
"The only way to shut that off is to find the subterranean valve on the main," Wentz said.
He said that there is no valve to turn the gas off and on, so crews from UGI had to dig to get to the main.
Wentz said that Route 61 south would be limited to a single lane for at least two hours until the gas could be turned off.
Assisting at the scene was Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven and Cressona fire companies.