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May 29, 2008 5:54 pm US/Central
Concern After Another McKinney Gas Line Cut
McKINNEY (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Residents survey the damage on May 16, 2008 after a series of gas line explosions in McKinney.
KTVT / KTXA
More problems in the City of McKinney where earlier this month there were a series of gas line explosions that caused major damage in one neighborhood.
On Wednesday, for the second time in less than two weeks, construction crews hit a gas line near Fenet Street. Officials say the situation was too dangerous for nearby residents and crews were ordered to stop working.
McKinney Fire Chief Mark Wallace says the order was issued as a precaution. "Really to freeze the scene and start to develop a plan how we can move forward and finish the project without any further gas leaks."
Wednesday's gas line cut happened just a block away from where the May 16th explosions occurred.
Families in the area told CBS 11 News they are concerned for their safety. "Nervous, scared, just never know when somebody's gonna call you and tell you the school done blowed up," said grandparent Rowena Allen.
The biggest safety concern on Wednesday was at the Holy Family School. Nearly 100 students attend classes there.
The schools executive director, Kristen Hendrix, says since the earlier explosion one teacher has quit and several families have left the school. Hendrix says the numbers may be small but since the school is non-profit the impact is substantial.
"It's been kind of a rough year anyway with the economy, as far as donations and those types of things," she explained. "If we start to lose our paying students, then that means our non-paying students won't have a place to go either."
City officials say yesterday's gas line break was unrelated to the one earlier in the month. This time a contractor for the city clipped the top of a gas tap while grating for the street. No one was injured. Three people were critically injured in the explosions on May 16th.
The project to relocate a main gas line will wait until the city, Atmos Energy, and neighborhood residents can all come up with a plan to ensure everyone's safety. Meetings concerning the issue began Thursday morning.
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