Thursday, April 30, 2015

ENVIRONMENTAL DRILLING COMPANY PSI STRIKES GAS LINE IN MEDFORD, WISCONSIN CAUSING EXPLOSION AND NUMEROUS EVACUATIONS; GAS LEAK AND FIRE UNDER CONTROL





APRIL 29, 2015

MEDFORD, WISCONSIN

A Taylor County city was a ghost town Wednesday morning, after a gas leak fire erupted and caused area residents and businesses to evacuate. Thankfully no one was injured.

"It went boom and while they went boom," Marvin Obscherning said.
That's what he heard when flames erupted in his backyard in downtown Medford. He said the flames were bright orange, shooting up in the sky. But what started it all was gas.

It happened in an alleyway on the 300 block between South Main Street and South 2nd Street. The Medford Police Department said the call came in at 9:27 a.m.

"We had an environmental driller putting in an environmental monitoring well, struck a gas utility," Assistant Chief of Medford Area Fire Department, John Fales said.

Obscherning said that drill rig was operated by PSI or Professional Service Industries. PSI workers were putting in the well for soil testing.
The gas leak sparked a fire damaging the company's two trucks and rig, as well as two area residents' garages, including Obscherning's.

The gas line was from WE Energies.

"We waited for the gas utilities to be shut off and then we were able to work on the extinguishment of the vehicles," Fales said.

Obscherning went across the street from his house. He saw it all and so did David Handel, the owner of Handel Automotive, located just below the alleyway.
"Me and my brother-in law were standing outside here... we seen the blast of sand and rocks and stuff come out of the hole," Handel said. "It was just a big phoof."

Handel said it was a blast of air when the drill hit the gas line. He said he evacuated his car repair business's store and went across the street to the corner of Division and Main.

"You could see the fire from over the top of the building and it was probably the height of the tree tops back there," Handel said.

Handel said the flames lasted about 30 to 45 minutes, and that they were probably 40 to 45 feet tall, but he wasn't scared.

"I was just there and takin' it in you know. It's one of those experiences that you'll never see again," Handel said.

Handel said he's thankful no one got hurt and that his building's still standing, but losing power, cable and gas didn't help business.

"People calling, people had their vehicles here, our hands were tied and we couldn't do nothing," Handel said.

When Obscherning returned to his home, he was surprised to see the majority of his fence melted away, and his grass not green anymore. Smoke got into the insulation of his garage's roof too. Now, he's just looking forward to another day.

"I didn't need that excitement today," Obscherning said.
Obscherning said his electricity is back, but no word on electricity, cable and gas for others in the area. 

The Medford Police Department said about 60 residents in a two-block radius were asked to either stay inside or evacuate. 

Many people were able to return home Wednesday afternoon. Some people will need to wait until Thursday morning.

Responding units included the Medford Police Department, Taylor County Sheriff's Department, Medford Fire Department, Medford Ambulance service, Stetsonville Fire Department, WE Energies, Medford Wastewater Department, Medford Electric Utility and Medford Department of Public Works.

The Taylor County Human Services and Taylor County Emergency Government assisted in evacuating and housing displaced residents.
Source: http://www.wsaw.com