Saturday, June 6, 2015

GAS LEAK FROM A DAMAGED PIPE SPARKED LARGE EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN FLINT, MICHIGAN; 2 MEN INJURED









JUNE 6, 2015

FLINT, MICH. (AP)

Authorities say a gas leak has been fixed that sparked a large fire, injured two men and closed stretches of a road and freeway in Flint.

Consumers Energy spokesman Brian Wheeler said that a worker struck an underground gas pipe late Saturday morning while working on a bridge reconstruction project at Interstate 69 and Dort Highway. The leaking gas caused an explosion and fire that burned for a couple hours.

City officials say the two motorists suffered burns during the blast. They were taken to a nearby hospital with noncritical injuries.

Wheeler says crews shut off the leaking gas that was fueling the fire about 4:15 p.m., and the fire had been extinguished.

The freeway also reopened in the late afternoon.

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JUNE 6, 2015

FLINT, MI

Police are at the scene of a fire on Dort Highway near Interstate 69, and are evacuating the area.

See flames shoot across Dort Highway following gas leak explosion in Flint Flint police shutdown Dort Highway between Court Street and Lapeer Road following a gas leak explosion Saturday, June 6. The flames could be seen shooting over nearby Interstate 69. 

Flint police are blocking traffic on Dort Highway between Court Street and Lapeer Road Saturday, June 6, due to a large blaze near I-69.

Flint police have evacuated the area and are asking people to avoid this stretch of Dort Highway and find an alternate route.

The department posted on its Facebook page the fire was caused by a gas leak explosion.

Flames from the blaze could be seen from Court Street as the fire shot up over the overpass.
Source: http://www.mlive.com