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By Dawn Gagnon
Thursday, October 11, 2007 - Bangor Daily News
BANGOR, Maine — A natural gas leak early Wednesday evening prompted city fire and police officials to temporarily block off a section of Main Street near the Hollywood Slots construction site.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bostock, construction workers struck an 8-inch natural gas line while digging on the site.
The section of Main Street that runs from Buck Street to the Interstate 395 exit ramp was closed from about 5:40 p.m. to shortly after 6 p.m., Bostock said.
Neighborhood traffic briefly was rerouted through Bass Park, located across Main Street from the work site.
Bangor Gas Co. crews were called in to shut the line down until it could be repaired, either late Wednesday or early today.
The rupture occurred on the discontinued section of Dutton Street that runs between the Hollywood Slots construction site and the neighboring Best Inn and Geaghan’s Restaurant and Pub, Bostock said.
A strong odor of natural gas could be detected from at least a block away from the leak. As a safety precaution, employees and guests of the inn and pub were told to stay inside the building and not to smoke or start their cars until the line was shut off, Bostock said.
Wednesday’s leak was the second at the construction site in a month. On Sept. 7, construction workers struck a 6-inch natural gas line.
Neither incident resulted in injury, Bostock said.
As required by law, Bangor Gas Co. reported the September incident to the Maine Public Utilities Commission, which was expected to investigate to determine who was at fault and whether penalties might be assessed. The PUC could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
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