Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - Natural gas clouded North Manchester when a Bunn Inc. excavating crew accidentally hit an 8-inch steel gas main line around 3 p.m. Monday.
The gas main, which provides service to a large section of North Manchester, began releasing gas after a bulldozer struck a service "T" at the corner of Main and Mill streets. Gas rushed out of the hole, sounding like a waterfall, until 9 p.m., when a properly equipped NIPSCO crew arrived on the scene.
North Manchester Fire Department was notified of the leak about 3 p.m. and contacted NIPSCO immediately. At 3:17 p.m. a second call requesting immediate assistance was made and minutes later, homes and businesses within four blocks of the leak were evacuated.
NIPSCO service trucks arrived at 5 p.m. but found that, due to the size of the leak, special equipment was needed. A welding crew from Monticello was needed to stop gas flow to the line in both directions. The gas flow was finally stopped around 9:30 p.m. and workers finished repairing the main about 3:30 a.m. today.
Larry Graham, NIPSCO spokesman, said isolating the gas flow and shutting off only the damaged section was in the town's best interest. Though the leak could have been stopped immediately, by disconnecting service to the line, a large portion of North Manchester would have been without gas services until the line was fixed.
The Bunn excavating site superintendent, who declined to give his name, said the line was supposed to be abandoned, thus accommodating his team's work. He declined to state whose responsibility it was to ensure the line was inactive. According to Graham, the gas line was on NIPSCO's schedule for lowering next week. This change in depth was planned to accommodate digging for the CVS construction.
Estimates regarding how much gas escaped are not yet available. No long-term effects are expected from the leak.
