HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 08-05 Natural gas main erupts in Maplewood REVIEW •
Natural main
_
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erupts in
Maplewood
by Dennis Doeden spokesman Ted LeVasseur, who was valve at Fleming Field in South St. Paul
Between 200 and 400 homes in the Si. working on the scene, did not agree. and smaller ones throughout the area in
Paul suburbs were without natural gas order to isolate the leak.That apparently
power Monday afternoon when a Nor- "WE WERE digging along the road caused between 200 and 400 homes in
thern States Power gas main was rup- here and all of a sudden one of the gas Maplewood,Arden Hills,Shoreview,New
tured along Highway 61 near Keller Park- mains that was marked along the side(of Brighton, North Oaks, Mounds View,
way in Maplewood. Highway 61) literally exploded," Vadnais Heights and Roseville to be
An eruption occurred about 1:45 p.m. LeVasseur said. without gas power for a period of time.
Monday while workers from Northern "It(the pipe)just must have weakened, Firemen from Gladstone and Parkside
Contracting Company were installing because it was never actually exposed," and NSP officials remained on the scene
sewer pipes along Highway 61. The he added."It just must have been a weak for several hours.
company,contracted by the Metropolitan spot in the main." Golfers and picnickers at Keller Park
Waste Control Commission, is currently The pipe was 20 inches in diameter and were evacuated shortly after the ex-
installing the sewers from Keller Parke the break occurred at an elbow joint on the plosion occurred, but the golfers were
way all the way to White Bear Lake along east side of Highway 61. It contained allowed to continue play after only a short
Highway 61. No one was injured by the about 165 pounds of pressure. For over wait at the club house.
blast. two hours after the incident occurred the Highway 61 was temporarily reopened
Officials believe the break was caused rumble of surging natural gas was heard for traffic about 5:30 p.m. Monday.
by the sewer workers,. but Northern in the are:. NSP had to shut off a main Tuesday morning NSP continued work to
repair the break.
.: �.) �47 A second rupture occurred about 2:30
r �1 _ •r a.m. Tuesday while NSP workmen were
Afr • ' .''.`°-.1`•' ', pressuring pipes after repairing the
1 : original break. The second break was
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located a few feet from the first one and
t • caused gas service to go out at North Star
_ and Five Star Mobile Home Parks in
, Little Canada and Vadnais Heights
" �� � `- respectively.
s; z Highway 61 was once again closed
Tuesday morning following the second
- break.
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: lipt , .. , .., 11.
MAPLEWOOD FIRE MARSHAL Al Schadt,center,and officials of Northern States
Power Co.talk over problems relating to a gas leak on Highway 61 near Keller Park-
way which occurred Monday afternoon. Firemen from Gladstone and Parkside
assisted NSP at the scene, although there was no actual fire and no injuries were
reported.
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A 20-INCH NATURAL GAS main along Highway 61 near Keller While Northern States Power Co. workmen were repairing the
Parkway was broken Monday afternoon and caused quite a scare break a second rupture occurred a few feet away. No one was
in Maplewood and the surrounding area.Workmen hired by the injured by either blast.
Metropolitan Waste Control Commission were laying sewer
pipes in the area when the incident occurred at about 1:45 p.m. photos by Dennis Doeden