Holland gas line explosion injures one
Holland — A contractor working on a gas line in Holland was injured when an explosion occurred Thursday.
Charlie Adams, an employee with Kieffer Bros Construction Company out of Mt. Carmel, Ind. Ill., and another employee were working on the gas line running behind Vanessa Hartke’s home at 107 South Second Avenue completing upgrades to the town’s gas lines. Adams was in the trench while another employee operated the backhoe at the time of the incident.
According to a company spokesperson, it appeared the backhoe struck the line.
In the resulting explosion, Adams suffered burns and was transported to Memorial Hospital by ambulance. The hospital has not released details of his condition at this time but he was conscious and alert when he left the scene, according to authorities.
Adams was transferred to the University of Louisville Hospital burn unit.
Holland Volunteer Fire Department and two ambulances responded to the scene at about 12:04 p.m. Indiana State Police and the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department cordoned off the area around Second and Main streets while the responding firefighters doused the flames engulfing the backhoe.
According to Holland Assistant Fire Chief John Hemmer, firefighters immediately evacuated HUMmingbird Daycare and the homes in the affected block. All the children at HUMmingbird Daycare were safely evacuated to Holland United Methodist Church.
Kieffer Brothers was contracted by Community Natural Gas, the town’s gas supplier, to work on the gas line. Gas to the entire town has been shut off by Community Natural Gas and according to Town Council President Tom Thacker, when gas is turned back on, the company will have representatives in Holland to assist in relighting gas appliances for the town’s residents.
According to Hemmer, 11 firefighters and four trucks responded to the fire. A state fire marshal also responded to the scene to conduct an investigation.
The backhoe, a 2008 John Deere, was a total loss.
The Gas Company did not call before digging?
They were working on the pipeline. It’s not like they were digging for something else and accidentally hit the pipeline.
Understand what you meant, but the story didn’t say they had actually located and exposed the gas line yet, or if there was another gas line involved, such as a service line off the main line, etc…and/or what was marked and what wasn’t, etc, so all the facts really aren’t known or presented in the story to make an accurate determination. They may have indeed hit another gas line not yet seen, exposed, marked, etc. Also keep in mind that locate marks are only a guideline that, assuming correct, are allowed to be within 2 feet either way of the actual location…not X marks the pinpoint spot. I’m sure more info will come out.