Gas main explodes east of Rockville
ROCKVILLE (AP) -- A gas main exploded and caught fire in a rural area east of Rockville Tuesday afternoon. A number of Putnam County agencies responded to the incident.
The fire was contained and no injuries were reported. An Indiana State Police spokesman said a 1-mile radius around the site was evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The Parke County Sheriff's Department said the 36-inch main exploded about 4:15 p.m., and the fire was contained less than an hour later. Neither the sheriff's department nor the state police could say what caused the explosion.
According to Putnam County dispatch, calls for assistance from Putnam County units began coming in around 4:30 p.m. Units from Greencastle Fire Department, Cloverdale Township Fire Department, Bainbridge Fire Department and Putnam County Operation life responded to the incident. Bainbridge FD responded with its command bus, while Cloverdale Township took its hazmat unit.
As of 8 p.m., the command bus, as well as one unit from Greencastle remained on the scene.
The line is owned by Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line, which has no connection to the Rockies Express Pipeline still under construction in Parke and Putnam counties.
The Banner Graphic staff contributed to this report.