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No injuries as construction crew ruptures gas line on Walnut Street
The quick response of emergency personnel and the presence of Vectren Energy crews already in Greencastle likely kept a Thursday-morning natural gas leak from being much worse.
After 10:30 a.m., construction workers on the 300 block of East Walnut Street were finishing the curb on the south side of the road.
At that point, a worker driving stakes in the ground hit the gas line that feeds Spring Tree Square Condominiums.
The worker hit a one-inch natural gas line with a 3/4-inch stake, Greencastle Fire Department Capt. Kyle App explained.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene at 10:41 a.m. Greencastle Police Sgt. Ed Wilson was the first on scene, closing the road and beginning the process of getting construction workers out of the immediate area.
Greencastle firefighters followed soon thereafter, arriving at 10:45.
GFD personnel began monitoring the air in the buildings and evacuating residents. Everyone was evacuated from Spring Tree Square (the old Greencastle Junior High School) on the south side of the road, as well as every house on Walnut Street between Spring and Locust streets.
Additionally, traffic was closed down for one or two blocks in all directions from the intersection of Walnut and Locust.
App said it was fortunate that Vectren Energy Delivery workers were in Greencastle on another project, as their arrival was quicker than would otherwise be expected.
The Vectren crew went to work and had the line shut off by 11:17 a.m.
"Luckily Vectren was in town and got it taken care of pretty quickly," App said.
At this point, firefighters resumed monitoring of the air in nearby residences and began letting people back in the area. App estimated that no residents were out of their home for much longer than 30 minutes.
"The first couple of minutes were about the most excitement we had," App said, noting the only other tense moment came when a person walked into the area with a lit cigarette. However, even this situation was resolved without incident.
GFD crews remained on the scene until 11:43 a.m.
In addition the GFD, GPD and Vectren, officers from DePauw Public Safety and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department responded to the area for assistance.