City of Duluth Gives Update on Gas Line Incident That Caused Thousands of Residents to Turn Down Their Thermostats

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth is providing more details about last week’s gas line incident that had thousands of residents turning down their thermostats after a contractor hit a gas line within the can of worms project in Lincoln Park.

According to a Wednesday joint news release between the city, MnDOT, and Ames/Kraemer Joint Venture, an Ames/Kramer contractor hit the city’s largest gas main near the rail yard by 19th Avenue West and Michigan Street around 11:25 a.m. on Thursday, January 27.

The contractor called 911 after the accident prompting the Duluth Fire Department, and City Public Works and Utilities to be dispatched to the scene. Once verified that the line had been hit they began work to shut down the line.

“We closed the valves for this section of pipe as fast as possible,” City Chief Engineer Eric Shaffer said. “We turned the main off for a ten-block stretch. We then depressurized the main which was a slow process. The City, Ames/Kraemer Joint Venture crews, and MnDOT staff worked together from the beginning in identifying how to repair the damage. Ames/Kraemer staff called 911 to dispatch emergency personnel immediately after the hit. Ames/Kramer Joint Venture also provided excavation help using their larger equipment. This joint effort allowed crews to excavate and reach the line faster to begin the repair work. This was a team effort from start to finish.”

By 6:50 a.m. the next morning the City began asking residents in Lakeside and Woodland to turn down their thermostats to reduce the heating load to the gas system. By 12:00 p.m. the City sent an updated press release asking all natural gas residents east of Lake Avenue to reduce their thermostats which extended through the weekend.

The city says that on Sunday crews were able to open a valve to feed gas from the area to the rest of the system by 9:00 a.m. City staff monitored the flow and pressure of gas in the line before deciding at 11:00 a.m. to lift the natural gas limitation to customers.

“This was an extensive project with crews working simultaneously throughout the area,” Shaffer said. “Our staff and the crews from Ames/Kraemer Joint Venture and MnDOT worked in partnership to access the pipe quickly to make the repairs needed and to monitor the flow and pressure of gas throughout the incident. We greatly appreciated the support of our partners and their assistance throughout this incident.”

At this time the gas main is fixed temporarily until it can be permanently repaired after the ground thaws.

The city says the investigation into this matter continues.