No injuries were reported after a natural gas leak near Umatilla forced approximately 16 residents to be evacuated Tuesday.
On Tuesday at approximately 11:43 a.m. the Umatilla County dispatch center received a 911 call from a construction crew working in the area of Margaret Avenue and N. Highway 395 near Umatilla reporting they had struck a 4-inch natural gas line.
Umatilla Rural Fire Protection Department responded to the incident. Businesses and residences in the area west of N. Highway 395, south of Margaret Avenue, east of Lind Road and north of Power City Road were evacuated.
Businesses on the east side of N. Highway 395, south of Wildwood Lane, and north of Power City Road were also evacuated. Commercial Tire on N. Highway 395 was placed on standby. The Oregon Department of Transportation closed N. Highway 395 north of Hermiston between the junction of Highway 730 at milepost 0.4 and the junction of Bensel Road near milepost 1.75.
At about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Cascade Natural Gas crews reported they had stopped flow at the northern end of the gas line and were working to stop and repair the south end near the location of the break.
This morning, Cascade Natural Gas notified Incident Command that they had completed the repair of the pipeline. The roadways are being re-opened and the public will be allowed back into the area once the roadway barricades are removed. Highway 395 will remain a single lane going northbound as repair work continues on the excavation site.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office said in order to repair the break, pressure in the gas lines had to be adjusted carefully so as not to overpressure other lines. Additionally, the break was located in somewhat swampy terrain, causing Cascade Natural Gas crews to take extra precautions not to get water into the gas line once pressure was stopped. Wind Wave also responded to the scene to assist, after a request for specific equipment was needed.
