Gas main breaks a major NIPSCO concern
By Stacey Creasy
PLYMOUTH � There are more concerns with the proposed closing of the Northern Indiana Public Service Company�s office than winter weather.
NIPSCO wants to close five of its service offices in northern Indiana, including the Plymouth office. However, a group of communities have filed legal action against NIPSCO�s decision, prompting the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to halt NIPSCO�s plan until the IURC can study the impact the closings will have on each community.
In addition to having NIPSCO service personnel nearby when the snow and ice fall, gas main breaks can pose major problems.
�Gas main breaks and how long it takes someone from NIPSCO to get to the site is one of our chief concerns,� said Plymouth Fire Chief John Brown.
There have been recent reminders of that. The fire department has responded to two serious gas main breaks this week.
On Monday a six-inch gas main was broken by a digging crew working near the Plymouth Foundry.
The incident occurred about 9:32 a.m. Plymouth Fire and EMS were called to scene to be on standby.
The area was once the site of the Marathon Oil station. The crew was searching for possible contamination in the soil. Workers claim the gas line was not marked.
Traffic was re-routed for nearly 90 minutes at the intersection of Harrison Street and First Street. Police officers and firefighters blocked off the area surrounding the leak.
The major concern for Brown is they were on the scene for one hour and 18 minutes waiting for someone from NIPSCO to arrive and shut down the gas main.
�That�s one of the biggest problems we have,� Brown added. �NIPSCO is pretty good during the daytime hours. It can get really bad at night or on the weekends.�
There was another gas main break Thursday on Clinton Street. A one-inch gas main was ruptured by a digging company doing some work for the Plymouth Sewer Department.
Plymouth Fire and EMS was once again called to the scene for standby. As a precautionary measure the gas to several homes was shut off, but it took NIPSCO one hour and 40 minutes to get to the scene to shut off the gas main.
If NIPSCO closes the Plymouth office, Brown has no idea how long it will take an on call employee or service person to reach a gas main break in the area.
The hearing on the five offices has been reset for Jan. 22 in Indianapolis.
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