Ruptured gas line forces evacuation in Petersburg

PETERSBURG — A ruptured Dominion East Ohio gas line this afternoon forced evacuation of 20 homes and three businesses in the town into the late evening.

Matt Gebhardt, interim Springfield Township fire chief, said workers from Dave Sugar Excavating Co. of Petersburg hit the gas line at about 1 p.m. near the town square while working on a waterline installation project.

As of 8 tonight, the evacuees were being housed in St. John’s Lutheran Church. Gebhardt expected the evacuation to last until about 10 p.m.

Dominion chose not to shut down the line completely, Gebhardt said, because that would eliminate gas service to East Palestine to the south, he said. Instead, the flow of gas was reduced from 82 pounds per square inch to about 45 pounds, he said.