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Gas line ruptures in Gainesville
Gas line ruptures in Gainesville
By Tara Slate Donaldson
Times-Democrat Staff Writer
A major gas line rupture in Gainesville affected about 1,800 homes in the Heritage Hunt area of Gainesville on Friday night, Dec. 12.
Around 6:30 p.m., a line was ruptured in the area of Heritage Hunt Drive and Heathcoate Boulevard. Homes in the Heritage Hunt and the Marque at Heritage Hunt were affected, as were businesses and Bull Run Middle School.
Columbia Gas was called to the scene, and crews worked through the night to clamp the line and repair the leak. The company also enlisted help from other gas companies to shut off the gas outside each affected home.
County spokeswoman Liz Bahrns said the leak was welded shut around 3 a.m. and that residents were not evacuated.
"They weren't concerned about an explosion at all and they pinpointed the leak pretty quickly," she said.
The affected residents were warned about the situation and Battlefield High School was opened as an emergency shelter in case anyone wanted to leave their homes, particularly because the gas shutoff meant residents were left without heat overnight.
However, no one chose to take that option, Bahrns said, noting that the retirement community has many elderly residents who preferred to shelter in place.
On Saturday, gas crews returned to each home to turn the gas back on and relight the pilot light.
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