By Shannon Lukens.
UPDATE at 6:16 p.m. Here is the latest update from Luminate: Our crews are currently working on a temporary repair to restore partial service to a few areas tonight. We are hopeful that full restoration will be achieved by tomorrow. Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this issue.
Here is more information on the gas leak from a Press Release from the City of Steamboat Springs Wednesday afternoon.
Gas Break Evacuates Three-Blocks in Downtown
Power Shut Off to Downtown Area During Incident
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-June 26, 2024-Shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, June 26, 2024, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue (SSFR) and Steamboat Springs Police Department (SSPD) responded to a gas break in the north alley between 9th and 10th Streets in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Fire Chief Chuck Cerasoli and Police Chief Mark Beckett established a unified incident command focusing on securing the site, evacuating the neighborhood, and rerouting traffic in the area.
Three-blocks between Lincoln Avenue and Oak Street and running from 8th to 12th Streets were evacuated during the incident. Power was shut off by Yampa Valley Electric Association (YVEA) to most of the downtown area before being isolated to the incident area.
Ninth Street from Lincoln to Oak as well as Oak Street from 8th to 12th Streets were closed. In addition, the traffic signal at 9th & Lincoln was inoperable due to the power being shut off in the area. Power was restored to most of the downtown area around lunchtime with only the immediate impacted area remaining without power until 1pm. The evacuation order was also lifted at this time.
A gas line in the alley was ruptured as crews worked on the project to underground utilities. SSFR worked with Atmos Energy to stabilize the line and shut off gas. Engine crew 62 deployed 1 ¾” hose line in a defensive position during repairs as well as set up gas monitoring equipment. A small backhoe was used to reach the break and the gas company was able to shut off flow to the damage portion of the line.
A fiber line as also damaged in this location, which is impacting internet and phone service in Steamboat Springs, Clark, Oak Creek, Yampa, Phippsburg, and Lynx Pass for Luminate Broadband and Zirkel Broadband.
Early in the afternoon, Atmos and SSFR were working to clean up the area and likely will remain on the scene for a few more hours. As businesses return, mechanical systems should be checked. If you smell gas, call 911 immediately and leave the premise if safely possible. SSFR will be monitoring the immediate area to ensure gas has dissipated.
During the incident, mutual aid was requested from West Routt Fire and Oak Creek Fire to help cover calls and responded with SSFR to a two-vehicle accident with air bag deployment at 6th and Lincoln. The Routt County Office of Emergency Management worked with incident command as well as crews from YVEA, Atmos, and the city’s public works department.
UPDATE at 12:43. The Evacuation Order for the area has been rescinded. Power has also been restored to downtown Steamboat Springs. This was in a message from Routt County Dispatch.
Original Post —
A construction crew hit a gas line in the alley between Lincoln and Oak Streets, between 9th and 10th this morning. The area was immediately evacuated.
They are working on fixing the problem right now. Some businesses are still evacuated and some power is still out.
Yampa Valley Electric initially shut down power to 1,642 members and the latest update is that it has been isolated to 115 members now without power, while crews are trying to fix that gas line that was compromised.
Those on scene are Steamboat Police, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue, Atmos Energy, Yampa Valley Electric, and Routt County Office of Emergency Management. The construction crew is working on fixing the gas leak.
The traffic light at 9th and Lincoln Ave. was turned off so be careful traveling through that intersection.
No one was injured.
