Gas leak closes road near Belmont Park

An overnight natural gas leak caused the closure of Hempstead Turnpike just east of Belmont Park in Elmont for several hours Friday morning, police and officials said.

The road has been re-opened -- and officials said emergency repairs being undertaken in the area by National Grid should not affect opening day at the racetrack, whose doors open for the 2011 spring meet at 10:45 a.m. and whose first post is scheduled for 1 p.m.

A National Grid spokesman said the leak was reported at 1:17 a.m. and crews had turned off all gas in the area by 4 a.m. The leak is in an 8-inch main on Hempstead Turnpike, he said, and emergency repair crews are expected to be working in the area replacing the main for most of the day.

The cause of the leak is not yet known, he said.

National Grid said just 16 customers are affected.

The road was closed between Sewanee Avenue and Belmont Boulevard from 2 until 6:15 a.m., the state Department of Transportation reported.

Officials said emergency crews were also working on nearby Emporia Avenue.