Palatine police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 8:04 AM Tuesday to a gas odor investigation at Plum Grove Road and Northwest Highway Palatine, IL. Police and firefighter/paramedics received a report that of an odor of
natural gas in the area of Plum Grove Road and Northwest Highway in Palatine. The first Palatine Fire Department unit arrived on the scene at 8:09 a.m. and reported that a contractor digging in the area had struck a 2” gas line, with a significant gas leak. The first fire company requested NICOR to respond for the broken gas line, police for traffic control and additional Fire Department assistance. The call was upgraded to a Hazardous Materials response, bringing to the scene a total of 9 firefighters and one command officer, staffing one engine, one ladder truck, one rescue squad, one ambulance and a command unit. Traffic on Northwest Highway was shut down in both directions, eventually from Smith St. to Benton St, and both directions on Plum Grove Road north of Comfort St. Fire crews monitored for gas levels in nearby businesses and a residential neighborhood north of the scene. They also pulled a hoseline as a precaution. NICOR crews arrived on the scene and began work to control the leak. Palatine Police and Palatine Emergency Management Agency volunteers rerouted traffic during the incident, keeping vehicles away from the incident site to minimize the risk of ignition. The leak was controlled at 11:50 a.m. Fire crews picked up from the scene, with NICOR crews remaining on site to complete repair of the damaged gas line.
No civilians or firefighters were injured in the incident, and no evacuations were necessary, although firefighters monitored gas levels in the area throughout the incident. The brisk wind helped dissipate the gas relatively quickly as it was released.
The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone to call the Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators (J.U.L.I.E.) at 8-1-1 prior to any digging or excavation. If you smell gas inside a building, evacuate and call 9-1-1.
LIVE TRAFFIC MAP of neighborhood of a gas leak at Northwest Highway and Plum Grove Road …
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