Gas Line Rupture Partially Closes Missoula Neighborhood
Just before 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Missoula City Fire Department responded to a gas line hit and rupture that occurred at the intersection of 34th Street and Bellecrest Drive.
Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Brandt said the call sent two engines, six firefighters and an EMS coordinator to the scene.
"We had a contractor doing some utility work in the area and hit a two-inch gas line," Brandt said. "We had to cordon off the area with the police and fire department. We had to investigate into the surrounding houses as that gas tends to follow sewer lines and gas lines underground. And because that was broken underneath pavement, we had quite a bit of work on our hands until Northwestern Energy could take care of that line and mitigate that issue."
Brandt said even though there were no injuries, several nearby homes had to be evacuated.
"We established a hot zone and then were able to evacuate three or four houses around that hot zone they established," he said. "We got the call a little after 10 and were finally able to send personnel home at around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m."
Brandt said the streets around Bellecrest and 34th Street were closed off for several hours while the fire department and Northwestern Energy worked to repair the ruptured gas line.