Natural Gas Leak at Route 25 and Fox Glen Drive
Leak occurred in area along Route 25 that already is closed due to construction activity.
The St. Charles Fire Department and Nicor responded Tuesday afternoon to a gas leak after a piece of construction equipment struck a 4-inch high-pressure natural gas main along Route 25 north of Fox Glen Drive.
There were no injuries, although some residents were asked to evacuate the area for a couple of hours as Nicor crews worked to shut off the leak, said Assistant Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet.
The incident was reported at 2:47 p.m., and Schelstreet said fire crews were on the scene at 2:53 and found that a contractor had struck the natural gas line that runs adjacent to Route 25. Nicor was contacted and authorities set up a perimeter around the leak. Schelstreet said that setting up a perimeter to control access to the scene was fairly easily in this instance – largely because Route 25 already is closed for construction in the area where the leak occurred.
Schelstreet said that several residents near the leak temporarily evacuated the area at the request of firefighters.
Firefighters took continual readings with monitoring equipment – referred to be some as “sniffers” – as Nicor crews worked to shut off the leak. Schelstreet said that is a complicated process – workers have to clear a trench around the leak and use special equipment to minimize static electricity. Then, he said, the leak must be shut off slowly, from both sides.
He said residents were cleared to return at about 4:45 p.m. Nicor was expected to work into the night to complete the repairs.
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LindaR
10:03 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
A couple of months ago, they did the same thing on the other side of the river. Rt 31 was blocked while they took over 6 hours to repair the leak. They did not evacuate the neighborhoods on our side of the river even though the odor from the gas was very strong.
josephine s.
12:46 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
O.K. Let's all wake up and demand answers from the city. This is the second leak incident, in a project-the Red Gate bridge- that was "signed off on" by the pipeline management comapany, Magellan (Oklahoma) and, therefore, approved by the city to move forward with activity over the buried pipes...(said to be an acceptable 5' down)....which contain fuels, fiberoptics and natural gas... having no foreseeable concerns or need for mitigation. Even tho, at the intersection of Red Gate & Randall, roughly 3 years ago, Magellan had to come here and bury the lines 25 feet. At that time, they said, "just our luck, we'll have to come back here for that red gate bridge project"....then according to an inside source, they all laughed, saying, "in this economy, noone is building bridges." Let's get some answers and hold our city accountable, as they forge ahead at breakneck speed to build a bridge to fulfill someone's wishes for a "legacy".
Lois Lane
6:49 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
The boys get what the boys want. And what I got was pylons being driven into the ground at 6am and every tree in sight cut down. And now my once beautiful view up the river will have this eyesore going across it. Nice going fellas.
the workers
4:27 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Well lois lane being a worker on that bridge we can't start till 7 am during the week and 9 on weekend where did u get 6 . Also I'm sure you will use it all the time.
Bob Loblaw
5:24 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Some people on the Patch are prone to hyperbole. ;)
Lois Lane
8:07 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Yes, thanks Bob L., I was hyperboling of course, it just seemed like 6am. 7am or 6am what's the diff? Thank goodness I don't work nights trying to sleep through that constant pounding.
@the workers, I'll have you know I have never used 6am in any of the comments I've made on any Patch subject. Not sure why you would write that??
Francis Glass
2:55 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
I think he meant that he's sure you will use the bridge all the time. I also live near the bridge. I will never use it. Any place I go to that is to the west is either north of me or south of me. I'll take Stearns to the north or in town STC or Geneva to the south. It's a stupid waste of money but the STC officials had been saying the Red Gate Bridge mantra for so long they just couldn't let it go until they got what they wanted.
Lois Lane
3:19 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Thanks Frances, maybe that is what he meant. Even though neither of us plan to use that bridge we will still have to go under it when we go boating. It'll be interesting to see how traffic on Rt 25 and 31 are affected.
John D.
12:22 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
People will use the bridge to shop in South Elgin.
John D.
12:37 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Question for "the workers-are you St Charles residents? Because another supposed benefit of the bridge was local jobs-I would like evidence of that-if so, I am happy for you, and that would be the only benefit. We will use the bridge, huh? Where are our vehicles going? To deadend on the east at Rte 25...and then, where? When they can take Stearns, with smooth, easy connectivity.Or, to the west, to Randall Road...and then where to? Geneva, Batavia, or South Elgin, to spend their tax dollars? No benefit to St Charles. Plenty of adverse impact-on the river, at the adjacent horse and llama farms. Ask the owners. Emissions, road vibration cause skittish mares and endanger their foals.