By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Fort Dodge, IA – A downtown Fort Dodge building was evacuated for several hours Tuesday morning and a disastrous explosion was avoided due to the quick work of the Fort Dodge Fire Department and MidAmerican Energy.
It was around the time of 10:00 a.m. when emergency crews were dispatched to the alley behind Old Boston’s Restaurant at 809 Central Avenue for a reported gas leak when on arrival, fire crews found MidAmerican Energy on the scene and reported they were getting explosive gas readings in the building.
The building was then immediately evacuated and power was cut to the entire city block to avoid an explosion. MidAmerican Energy gas crews were able to locate and contain the gas leak in the alley and it took approximately three hours for fire crews to ventilate the building by using several fans.
The leak was caused by an underground boring company that had been working in the alley last Wednesday and according to the Fort Dodge Fire Department, it was a fortunate set of events that a dangerous explosion did not occur as levels were at the level needed for an explosion to occur. The gas did not find an ignition source before it was eventually contained.