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Gas line ruptures in Gainesville
A major gas line rupture in Gainesville affected about 1,800 homes in the Heritage Hunt area of Gainesville last night.Around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, a line was ruptured in the area of Heritage Hunt Drive and Heathcoate Boulevard. Homes in the Heritage Hunt and the Marque at Heritage Hunt were affected, as were businesses and Bull Run Middle School.
Columbia Gas was called to the scene and crews worked through the night to clamp the line and repair the leak. The company also enlisted help from other gas companies to shut off the gas outside of each affected home.
County spokeswoman Liz Bahrns said the leak was welded shut around 3 a.m. and that residents were not evacuated.
"They weren't concerned about an explosion at all and they pinpointed the leak pretty quickly," she said.
The affected residents were warned about the situation and Battlefield High School was opened as an emergency shelter in case anyone wanted to leave their homes, particularly because the gas shutoff meant residents were left without heat overnight. However, no one chose to take that option, Bahrns said, noting that the retirement community has many elderly residents who preferred to shelter in place.
As of Saturday morning, gas crews were returning to each home to turn the gas back on and relight the pilot light. Bahrns said that process would probably last until Saturday evening because if residents were not at home, the crews would leave a sticker on the door instructing them to contact the gas company so a worker could return later.
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