Grosse Pointe Woods Homes Evacuated as Crews Work to Fix Gas Leak
DTE Energy crews broke a gas main pipeline while working near Vernier and Morningside Tuesday morning.
Some 100 people were evacuated from about 50 Grosse Pointe Woods homes this morning following a gas leak caused by a DTE Energy crew, officials say.
Workers hit a six-inch main about 9:30 a.m. near Vernier Road and Morningside Drive, said John Kosanke, director of public safety in Grosse Pointe Woods.
Crews from DTE worked through the day to repair it, says John Fossen, spokesperson for the company.
“There was an evacuation of a block of homes,” he says. ”“Fortunately, there was no other damage, no injuries.”
Crews shut off the flow of gas around 11:30 a.m., Fossen says. “We’re assessing the damage at this point and a course of action,” he says.
It was not immediately known how long repairs would take.
It’s the second major leak in about two weeks in the suburb east of Detroit. Kosanke says the community had a similar situation at Mack and Allard avenues, where a subcontractor of DTE broke a handle and ruptured a gas main, Kosanke says.
“This is a significant amount of money that we bear when something like this happens,” he says. “That’s my hope, that I have some cost recovery for all of our time. I have a lot of crew out here, and we’re calling some more people in to answer some radio runs on the road. This is a significant amount of money that we bear when something like this happens.
Residents who suspect a natural gas leak should leave the area, make sure not to use an open flame and call DTE Energy to report the problem at 800-947-5000.
