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