Home News Local News Cascade Gas leak causes stir

Cascade Gas leak causes stir

Written by S. JOHN COLLINS December 02, 2011 05:01 pm

By S. JOHN COLLINS
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Cascade Natural Gas personnel digging to reach and shut down a gas line leak Wednesday morning are Todd Welter, left, and Ron Coffell, CNG new construction coordinator. (Baker City Herald/S. John Collins)

A Cascade Natural Gas meter spewing its pressurized contents alongside a 10th Street building summoned the Baker City Fire Department and CNG personnel Wednesday morning.

The loud hissing sound of escaping gas could be heard several blocks away from the vacant building at 2250 10th St., formerly occupied by Bad Boy Buggies.

The incident was caused when a CNG employee, Tony Laeger, went to the address to check and turn off the flow of gas at the meter, CNG employee Todd Welter said. He explained that the valve broke as Laeger was turning it off.

Welter received a call from Laeger about 9:15 a.m. Five Baker City Fire Department employees responded with a fire truck and an ambulance to stand by in case of an emergency. Assistant Fire Chief Tom Everson said his crew also was monitoring the gas for dangerous levels downwind of the leak.

Baker Street was blocked off between Ninth and 10th streets, while residents at 2835 Baker St., closest to the leaking gas meter, were evacuated.

CNG employees located the buried gas main and dug with shovels to expose the line. Micah Blank, a welder for CNG, said the gas line would be “pinched off’’ with hydraulic tools to stop the flow. The gas flow was stopped at 10:05 a.m.

Repairs were made to the main line and meter. The metal line from Baker Street to the building’s meter also would be replaced with CNG’s plastic line, Blank said.