Peoples Gas Restoring Service To Dozens Of Homes After Brainerd Gas Leak Sends Flames Flying

CHICAGO (CBS) -- At least 50 families in the Brainerd neighborhood remain without natural gas service Wednesday morning, nearly 16 hours after a gas leak sent a column of fire shooting into the air.

Around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters responded to reports of a gas leak in front of a home near 89^th and Marshfield, and when they arrived, they found a 20- to 25-foot plume of fire burning in the parkway.

Construction crews had ruptured a gas line, prompting a hazardous materials response.

Peoples Gas shut off gas to a total of 60 homes while they repaired the damaged line. Fire Department officials said only a few people were asked to leave their homes Tuesday night.

"Everyone else, we sheltered in place," Deputy District Fire Chief Carmelita Wiley-Earls said. "We knocked on doors, told them what was happening, and told them that we needed them to stay inside their homes. We let them know that everything was safe, and they were very cooperative."

Peoples Gas crews repaired the leak by Wednesday morning, and restored service to several homes, but at least 50 families were still without gas, and crews were working to turn the gas back to those homes.

In:
• Gas Leak