That’s true, but up there the meters are in the basements.
There are many variables to consider when it comes to gas leak migration, it could take days, weeks, or longer for gas to reach explosive levels inside a structure. The variables include pipe size, pressure, location, soil type (clay, sandy, etc), soil condition (dry, wet, etc).
Something that happened Thursday appears to be a sudden overpressure of a low pressure system.
In the beginning then I could not imagine an over pressure like that. I later understood that is what happened. There is no way that should be able to happen. But it did.
I would think that the gas mains were not designed for that. Although anywhere there is black Iron pipe then that should be OK. Do you think that the mains may have been damaged and will have to be dug up and replaced? I am not sure what they are made of.