Traffic was disrupted Wednesday afternoon after a construction crew apparently broke a 6-inch natural gas line at the southeast corner of Ind. 15 and C.R. 20 about 12:20 p.m.
NIPCSO crews were called from northwestern Indiana to the C.R. 20 leak to fix it, but traffic was disrupted all afternoon and into the evening. Some drivers were allowed to go to nearby Jefferson Elementary School, as parents picked up their students at the end of their school day.
“The road was shut down as a precaution,” said Mike Carbineau, NIPSCO spokesman. “Traffic has been the thing.”
Carbineau said service to two natural gas customers was affected and service would be restored as soon as possible.
“Safety is the main concern,” he said, “and reliability of service is the second issue.”
He believed service was to be restored yet Wednesday afternoon.
No one was hurt in the incident.
The smell of natural gas in the air was strong near the site of the rupture.
Traffic was able to resume in the area about 8 p.m., according to county dispatch staff. Officers with the Jefferson Fire Department helped with traffic control.
