HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Business owners and others who have not been able to access their buildings since last Saturday’s natural gas leak and explosion at E and Main in Hutchinson have been invited to a meeting Friday morning at 9 at Fire Station 3 at Avenue E and Washington.
At a Thursday afternoon media conference, Hutchinson Fire Chief Steven Beer said business owners will be able to retrieve important papers and such from their business. Beer said this is not a big back up your truck and haul out as much as you can situation. Business owners will be escorted by a firefighter with gas detection equipment and a Kansas Gas Service (KGS) Representative.
Kansas Gas Service had been invited to take part in the media conference, but City Manager Enrico Villegas said they did not because, “they are working under the direction of the National Transportation Safety Board.” Villegas did read a statement from KGS in which they said, “Work is progressing on South Main, where our crews have completed installation of a new ten-inch natural gas main. We have restored natural gas to the remaining businesses that were without service.”
Villegas also extended thanks to all those involved with the response, including NTSB, whose expertise has been valuable in the response.
100 feet of gas line was replaced, according to Hutchinson Public Works Superintendent Cecil Wieble. That line crossed Main Street, and Wieble said it could be at least a couple of weeks before Main Street reopens, but the street closure has been reduced on Main from Avenue D to just north of Avenue F and Avenue E a block either side of Main.
This also simplifies marked detours for both this incident and the Woodie Seat Freeway construction, detours on which went up Thursday. The two detours are now separated, and Wieble noted the marked detours are primarily for large truck traffic, with many residents using other alternative routes.
Evergy officials say there are still about 20 customers off in that area, and those will be energized once Kansas Gas gives the OK. Kansas Gas released Hutchinson Fire crews from the scene just after noon Wednesday.
One business owner in the still closed-off area voiced frustration with Kansas Gas and their lack of any direct contact with them during the conference. Chief Beer said the city’s Public Information Officer, Jessica Woodyard has been pushing out information as quickly as it comes in, but if they can’t get information, they can’t give out any.
“Sometimes the information is limited, and we are trying 24 hours a day to get information from the different companies and disseminate it to their citizens,” Chief Beer said.
Residents who were impacted by the gas leak and explosion, which at one point required the evacuation of a more than 40 square block area around the explosion site, can contact the KGS claims team at kgsclaims@onegas.com or by calling 913-599-8934.
