Gas main explodes east of Rockville

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

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.

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  • Just for the record, Russellville Fire Department responded also.

    -- Posted by interested party on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 6:28 AM
  • Ok so russellville fire responeded to but at least nobody got hurt.

    -- Posted by PVT.Miller Todd USMC on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 7:31 AM
  • Yes, the blessing is that nobody got hurt. But those Russellville firemen were in just as much danger as all of the others who were mentioned!! I'm not sure exactly where the explosion happened, but logistically, Russellville would have been much closer than any of the other Putnam County units, with maybe the exception of Bainbridge. Thanks to all those who are willing to serve our communities by being firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and all other types of emergency responders, in addition to those who serve and protect our country through the military. God Bless You all!

    -- Posted by howsthishappen on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 7:46 AM
  • Seriously..this is the second story in a week that I've saw people complaining about their specific fire department not being printed or why Greencastle was called to the scene and not Fillmore and so on. Does it ever occur to those of you making these comments that IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO SHOWS UP! As long as no one gets hurt and the fire is put out it doesn't matter. Yes, give credit where credit is due but don't make a fuss over who's district it was in or not in. Be thankful we have firefighters who are willing to come and help out. Get over yourself and thank God we have the men and women doing a job you probably wouldn't do yourself.

    -- Posted by collegegirl2008 on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 9:25 AM
  • Well i have to agree with collegegirl2008, and howsthishappen on stop complaining about your name not being mentioned. But for the record Russellville Fire Dept was put on standby only at there firehouse for the surronding area of Parke County, and the reason the other Putnam county Depts were called was due to there Haz-Mat Teams, and Bainbridge for the Rehab bus.

    -- Posted by helpingout on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 10:48 AM
  • ok thank you for your blessing because im a firefighter and im in the military. But i dont see why evrybody makes a big deal because the publisher accidently forgot to write it. I do thank you for your blessings.

    -- Posted by PVT.Miller Todd USMC on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 12:21 PM
  • im also going to have to agree with collegegirl2008 and helping out becasue at least it did get put out and if russellville was going to get called out they probably would have been covering somebody elses station. Its a hazmat scene they only needed hazmat personell why do you think GFD responded they have a hazmat team. If it woould have been a normal fire greencastle probably wouldnt have showed up.

    -- Posted by PVT.Miller Todd USMC on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 12:27 PM
  • Russellville was put on stadby, as far as I know they did not respond. Cloverdale went with thier hazmat team and brush truck. Greencastle went due to the fact they were specifaclly requested. Bainbridge went because of the Uunified command bus. But why does it matter who went. Every one got their safely, every one went home safe. No one was injured, no one lost their house. They gave their valuable time to go help their neighbours, isnt that what truely matters? Not who went, but who was saved?

    -- Posted by Eagle78 on Wed, May 6, 2009, at 3:19 PM
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