Traffic came to a standstill in Park City on during Thursday’s workday when a company ruptured a gas line along SR 224.
The rupture took place at the White Barn across from the McPolin Farm on SR 224. Officials closed 224 in both directions for several hours in the late morning to early afternoon as the line was repaired, they also closed the public trail that runs along the road.
Steve Zwirn battalion chief with Park City Fire says the gas line rupture was due to a communications company making installations.
“It’s a communications company,” Zwirn continued. “They’ve been working on the side of the road for the last few weeks. They’re installing those multi-colored plastic tubes along the side of the road. Their little min-excavator hit the gas line.”
No one was hurt and with no homes in the immediate area no evacuations were given. Zwirn says the repair took extra time due to some complications.
“The line that had been damaged was two-inch but it’s only a foot from a six-inch line,” Zwirn explained. “So, there’s not enough room to get in there and clamp the line closed.”
Zwirn explained in order to repair the leak they had to dig two holes one on each side of the incident to clamp the six-inch line and then go in and repair the two-inch line. Zwirn said that process was time intensive.
While 224 was closed traffic was greatly impacted on US 40 where it was slowed to a crawl in some spots