PARKER - A construction worker using a backhoe ruptured a 4-inch gas line Monday afternoon, setting off an intense fire. The worker managed to get away just in time.
The accident happened at a construction site behind a small shopping mall north of the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Parker Road. The fire was so hot that it melted the nearby asphalt and left only the blackened metal frame of the backhoe. Smoke could be seen for miles.
Fire crews could not approach the fire until an Xcel Energy crew turned off the gas. That took about three hours. The crew had to build a trench to reach the line and shut it down safely.
An Xcel spokesperson says there were no injuries and gas supplies to businesses and homes weren't interrupted. They say this incident is a reminder that before digging, construction companies should always check with the utility company first.
The accident happened at a construction site behind a small shopping mall north of the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Parker Road. The fire was so hot that it melted the nearby asphalt and left only the blackened metal frame of the backhoe. Smoke could be seen for miles.
Fire crews could not approach the fire until an Xcel Energy crew turned off the gas. That took about three hours. The crew had to build a trench to reach the line and shut it down safely.
An Xcel spokesperson says there were no injuries and gas supplies to businesses and homes weren't interrupted. They say this incident is a reminder that before digging, construction companies should always check with the utility company first.
