Crime & Safety

Gas Leak Forces Small Evacuation

Lake Forest condo units are cleared after AT&T subcontractors break a gas line that wasn't supposed to be there.


By Martin Henderson


A broken gas line shut down a Lake Forest street and caused some minor evacuations of nearby condominium units on Wednesday morning.

VCI, subcontractor for AT&T working on Rimhurst Drive at the corner of Montcliff, was removing a tree root with a backhoe when it broke a two-inch gas line, according to public works inspector Matt Reagan at the scene.

Firefighters from Station 19 in Lake Forest helped seal the street from traffic to eliminate any spark threats as gas blew upwards from the hole under the sidewalk. According to Reagan, the gas line was supposed to be two feet into the adjacent green belt, but was instead under the sidewalk under a 30x30 inch swath of roots.

He said gas lines are located 24-30 inches below ground.

Reagan said about four Le Parc condominiums were evacuated, and those on either side were told to close their windows to protect them from the wafting gas.

However, Reagan said the fire department determined there was "a minimal amount" of particles per million being released into the atmosphere. Still, they remained on scene until the line was cut on either end and the broken piece replaced.

The incident took place about 10 a.m., and everything returned to normal about 1 p.m.

"The contractor made all the appropriate phone calls, the fire department was on scene really quickly," Reagan said. "There were no problems, nobody was really in danger. It was handled properly by the fire department, the Gas Company and the contractor."


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