Local News, Public Safety
First Avenue East reopens after gas line break
Posted on Oct 28, 2009 by Jeff Raasch.
Emergency crews respond to a gas leak on First Avenue East Wednesday. (Jeff Raasch/The Gazette)
Crews severed a gas line along First Avenue East, forcing lanes to be closed on the busiest street in Cedar Rapids for nearly four hours Wednesday.
A backhoe with Tim Terrell, Inc. of Swisher was digging in the 4300 block of First Avenue East, across from Cedar Memorial, when a 4-inch gas line was struck around 11 a.m., officials said.
Police quickly shut down First Avenue East between 40th Street and Glenbrook Drive SE, while firefighters investigated the leak. Westbound lanes were opened soon, but eastbound lanes remained closed until around 3 p.m.
Fire Department spokesman Greg Buelow said the contractors were working for Alliant Energy to bury utilities as part of a street widening project.
No one was evacuated or injured, he said.
Cars stacked up to the west, back by the Town and Country Shopping Center, as lunch-hour traffic maneuvered around the closure. Detoured traffic was bottlenecking at C Avenue and 40th Street NE, and farther north by Old Marion Road NE, police said.
Tyree_C
28. Oct, 2009
Hmm…seeing as it's near a cemetery, the line could have been struck by zombies and other illega…er, unauthorized individuals racing to apply for insurance benefits under the "public option."
NomerBull
28. Oct, 2009
Nope, just an ordinary worker operating a backhoe. Probably PAYS taxes.
Remember to "Call Before You Dig". Either they didn't call, the gas line didn't get marked with paint & little flags, or they were digging closer to it than they thought.
youdonut
28. Oct, 2009
Wasn't struck by zombies, will cause an outbreak of zombies. Cedar Rapids starts the zombie apocalypse!
KO65
28. Oct, 2009
it's Bush's fault!
KO65
28. Oct, 2009
OK it's not bush's fault, but if there is a apocalypse that will be his fault.
Tyree_C
28. Oct, 2009
Oh, caused by a backhoe. Question: How come we have to call before we did, and they don't?
tandog
28. Oct, 2009
You & I aren't worth enough money to be "Above the Law".
I always call before digging to bury a bone or zombie leg..
Woof!!!
CROslady
28. Oct, 2009
Apparently there is a lot of rock in that area so even though it may have been marked, it may not be exactly where it's located at. Many factors to look at.
cc1091
28. Oct, 2009
Alright Tandog! I'm glad to hear your a proponent of safe bone burying. Have you done any of that lately or are you still chasin' tail?
CR64
28. Oct, 2009
They have to call and it's marked by a company. Probably dug to close and hit it!
calex
28. Oct, 2009
So would that be NE or SE?
BradyDorman
29. Oct, 2009
The article states that they were digging across from Cedar Memorial, so the break was in the SE quadrant.
ICNative
28. Oct, 2009
This same company broke a water main coming into Cedar Memorial two weeks ago. Is a pattern emrerging?
Betty_Davis
29. Oct, 2009
Ummm, they just broke a water main on Friday of last week.
What are they going to break next?