Park City Manager Matt Dias said a stop work order has been issued for the private contractor that struck a gas line in Old Town shortly after noon Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, it just sounds like a mistake was made in the field,” Dias said. “We have a stop work order with that contractor at the moment, and we’re going to have to have some discussions about how to protect the street in two ways. Protecting the life safety element of doing something potentially that dangerous, and then also the impact on our small businesses to shut down the street – for the employees, for the guests, for the visitors. It was quite an event.”
The company, Toro Blanco Group, and its subcontractor were installing 5G wireless infrastructure in the Main Street area.
Park City Municipal had no involvement in the project. City officials are meeting with representatives from Toro Blanco and Enbridge Gas, which led repair efforts, about how to move forward.
"We had previously raised concerns with Toro Blanco, and this incident only reinforces the need for stronger accountability," Park City Municipal spokesperson Clayton Scrivner said. "The City is meeting with the contractor to ensure corrective actions are taken and future disruptions are avoided."
Due to state and federal law, Park City can only regulate design standards when reviewing permits for utility projects. The city doesn’t have authority over scope or timing.
Police and fire officials evacuated parts of Old Town for several hours Tuesday due to the potential danger.
People with vehicles on Main Street were asked to leave them in place because starting a car could serve as an ignition source.
Dias said some property owners hesitated to leave their buildings, but many obliged after talking with police.
Park City Municipal is a financial supporter of KPCW.
