Gas leak triggers evacuations

Written by Julie Applegate
September 15, 2016

ST. GEORGE – Two homes in St. George were evacuated Thursday after construction workers dug through a gas line.

The incident, which sent a cloud of dust and dirt into the air, occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. at 200 East 300 South near the site of the new Legacy Elementary School.

“A contractor was digging here for the new school, hit a 2-inch gas line to where it was leaking gas,” St. George Fire Capt. Scott Peacock said.

“We evacuated two homes here close by in order for them to be safe. Questar arrived on scene, they were able to cap off that gas line, clamp it off really quickly,” Peacock said.

Gas was shut off at the scene until the line could be repaired, he said. The two homes were cleared by the fire department before residents were allowed back in.

The new elementary school is being built on the site of the former Elks Baseball Field and is a replacement for the aging East Elementary, located at 600 East in St. George.

The new school will be the first two-story elementary school the Washington County School District has built and will be roughly the same size as other elementary schools, but with a smaller footprint than other elementary schools.

St. George Fire Department and Questar Gas responded to the incident.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Applegate is a long-time resident and fan of Southern Utah. She brings a strong background in news writing and editing, formerly as a full-time member of the St. George News team and currently as a contributor. Julie spent several years in the software industry. She believes strongly in the role of responsible news media in society, especially at the local level. In her spare time, Julie can be found exploring Southern Utah on foot and by four-wheel drive or spending time with her family.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.