Dennison fire chief: Shifting winds lead to call for evacuation after gas line is cut

Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter

DENNISON ‒ "It wasn't the choice I wanted to make, but for the safety of everybody I thought we better," Fire Chief Dave McConnell said about his call to evacuate a six-block area of downtown Dennison on Tuesday morning, after workers constructing a storm sewer line on Grant Street accidentally cut an 8-inch gas main.

Workers from Enbridge Gas Ohio clean up the exterior of a punctured gas main at the intersection of Grant and North Third streets in Dennison where workers struck the 8-inch line.
Workers from Enbridge Gas Ohio clean up the exterior of a punctured gas main at the intersection of Grant and North Third streets in Dennison where workers struck the 8-inch line.

The evacuation effected Claymont Intermediate School, Immaculate Conception School, the municipal building, offices of the Twin City Water & Sewer District, the First National Bank of Dennison and the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum. Several residences also had to be evacuated.

No one was injured.

'I could hear it spewing gas'

Dennison Fire Department Chief David McConnell talks on his phone at the scene of a ruptured gas line, Tuesday morning.
Dennison Fire Department Chief David McConnell talks on his phone at the scene of a ruptured gas line, Tuesday morning.

McConnell said his department was notified around 8:40 a.m. He and his crew were out on an EMS call at the time. When they returned, the noise from the leak was audible. "As soon I got there, I could hear it spewing gas. You could actually hear it. An 8-inch main, you can imagine," he said.

Enbridge Gas was called immediately to repairs the line, which was completed Tuesday afternoon.

The situation was made worse by shifting winds at that time which helped to spread the gas all over the downtown area, he said. That prompted McConnell to order the evacuation.

In addition to Dennison firefighters, Smith Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Students reunified with parents

A father and son cross the road at the intersection of Grant and North Third streets in Dennison, as workers make repairs to a ruptured gas line.
A father and son cross the road at the intersection of Grant and North Third streets in Dennison, as workers make repairs to a ruptured gas line.

Claymont City Schools brought in buses to take the students at the intermediate school to the district's field house in Uhrichsville.

"Initially we were not evacuated but after the fire department checked the intermediate school, they had the school and central office evacuate," said Superintendent Brian Rentsch. "We were told to evacuate students around 9:40. Students were transported to the reunification location. The building began reunifying with parents at 11 a.m. We evacuated 376 students and around 35 staff members.

"The reunification process took around one hour once students were transported to the reunification location."

Rentsch expressed his thanks to Jessica Marsh, the intermediate principal, the staff and the central district office staff for their leadership in this situation.

Dennison and Uhrichsville police assisted in the reunification, McConnell said.

Immaculate Conception handled its evacuation in house and got the students out as quickly as possible, he said.

An unfortunate situation

Mayor Greg DiDonato said the leak was an unfortunate situation. He was among those who were evacuated from their homes. The mayor lives on Grant Street close to the downtown.

He noted the hazards of such construction projects when workers have to deal with pipes that have been underground for up to 150 years.

Work on installing the storm sewer is expected to be completed early next week. The entire project, including the installation of sidewalks and resurfacing Grant Street, will be finished by Oct. 31.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Portions of Dennison evacuated after workers damage 8-inch gas main

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