To the Editor:

We spend most of the summer and early fall at our home in Ship Bottom, occasionally turning the place over to our kids. Recently returning after they’d left, I discovered that someone had left the propane tank valve open and was unable to close it. I was at a loss as to what to do. I didn’t have any sort of wrench that would have worked and didn’t want to whack it with a hammer and possibly cause a spark.

At about 2:30 a.m., it came to me that I should contact the fire department.

August 5, 2026