Gas leak forces the evacuation of an Onaway business:
Emergency crews responded to a liquid propane gas leak Tuesday afternoon which forced the evacuation of an Onaway business and created some tense moments for people down wind of the fumes. The accident occurred when the driver of a gas delivery truck bumped the valve of a 1,000 gallon propane tank with a boom, while trying to load it on his truck. The tripping of the valve released a vapor cloud in the air. The tank is one of many stored on land in the industrial park area north of Onaway.
The fumes went into the Standard Plumbing Heating and Cooling building, across M-211 to Ellenberger Lumber Company, and to nearby homes in the northeast section of town.
THE STRONG odor from the chemical that is put in propane gas, so people know when there is a leak, could be detected as far away Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op and the county garage on M-68. The safety of the people working at the two businesses and the nearby residential neighborhood was the main concern for emergency personnel.
With the fumes entering the Standard building, deputy Louie Robinson, who was first to arrive at the scene, started evacuating employees as a safety precaution. He said fumes were hurting the eyes of people in the building. Chief Eric Rose of the Onaway Fire Department said ?There was a concern about getting people out of there, so they would get far enough away from the building, because if it blows up, it?s a cement block
ROSE SAID there could be a potentially lethal situation if the propane was trapped in the building and there was a four to 14 percent mixture with the air. Under these circumstances, even the smallest spark would ignite the gas. It could have been the flipping of a light switch, static electricity, or even the pilot light from a water heater. ?If it?s less concentrated, then it won?t explode,? said Rose. ?That was my concern.? Crews had the Ellenberger and Standard buildings opened to vent the fumes quicker. The all clear was given about an hour later.
It was later learned that four to five percent of the 1,000 gallon tank had leaked. No action against the driver was expected, Rose said. ?We called his manager over and talked to him about it,? Rose said. ?I probably will be checking their other tanks.?