A construction worker digging a sprinkler system with a backhoe struck a natural gas line at the intersection of 100 South and Wolcott Street on Monday morning.
Emergency response crews were called at 11:30 a.m. as soon as the construction workers smelled the gas. The Salt Lake City Fire Department evacuated five surrounding buildings, including the Naval Science building, Sutton building, Browning building and the Kennecott building.
“The pipe that was struck was a five-inch, 60-pound gas line,” said Wyatt Peterson, a U facilities coordinator.
A total of 50 people were instructed to leave the buildings in the immediate area as a precaution, said U spokesman Remi Barron. Barron was on site to answer questions because the Salt Lake City Police Department declined to comment. The officers were busy directing traffic away from the incident site. Drivers traveling both directions on 100 South and Wolcott, as well as through parking lots on campus, were redirected or asked to stop and turn off their vehicles.
A car’s engine could be a source of ignition that can create a spark and ignite the gas leaking from the pipe, said Stan Furrow, a U systems maintenance mechanic.
Barron said the fire department, as well as Questar Gas, responded very quickly.
“The gas got shut off very fast. Probably 20 to 30 minutes after the call was made,” Barron said.
The crew clamped the hole shut and resumed their work once the incident was resolved. Gas service to the surrounding neighborhood was not interrupted as a result of the leak, Peterson said.
The fire department gave the OK to re-enter the evacuated buildings less than an hour after the leak occurred.
The construction project’s manager was not available for comment.
Julian GomezConstruction crews hit a gas line at the intersection of 100 South and Wolcott Street. The Salt Lake City Fire Department and Questar Gas responded quickly and got the gas shut off 20 to 30 minutes after the first call was made.