LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
CHRISMAN – An equipment malfunction at a local natural gas substation caused quite a commotion over the weekend, resulting in the closure of an intersection and the evacuation of a nearby home. Fortunately, the volatile situation did not escalate further.
According to Chrisman Fire District Fire Chief Mike Marvin, the incident began at approximately 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20. Marvin was called out to the substation, located on the south side of the intersection of US Highway 150 and 36, after an odor was reported in the area. Marvin and the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department responded, confirmed the odor and immediately called the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, the owners of the natural gas line feeding the substation, to request assistance.
Shortly after the call was made, the situation escalated.
“While I was sitting there talking to him (the deputy)... the boiler caught on fire,” Marvin recalled.
An equipment malfunction, the nature of which is unclear at this time, sparked the flame. Marvin and his fellow bystander acted quickly, reporting the incident before calling for backup.
By the end of the night, the Chrisman Fire District, the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department, Chrisman Police and Neal EMS were all on-scene, diverting traffic from the nearby intersection and locking down the area. One nearby residence was evacuated and several businesses closed early.
First responders kept their distance from the flame before a technician arrived roughly 35 minutes later.
“That’s a really good response time,” Marvin noted.
Repairs were made and the intersection was reopened around 11 p.m. Marvin credited everyone involved with the operation, especially the technicians from Panhandle, for their efforts to keep the community safe.
“We just blocked traffic, they (Panhandle) did everything else,” said Marvin, later adding. “Everybody did (what) they were supposed to do.”
The swift response of local authorities and pipeline technicians not only prevented the blaze from spreading but ensured hundreds of Chrisman residents could heat their homes during the frigid January night. The substation is a critical piece of infrastructure, where natural gas is siphoned from the line to homes in Chrisman.
Ultimately, the equipment failure and the fire did not interrupt service in the area.
“We couldn’t have asked for anything to work out any better,” said Marvin.
Marvin encouraged anyone who notices a mysterious odor or spots a gas leak to call their service provider immediately.
“Pipeline companies tell everyone the same thing: call it in, describe the problem… evacuate safely if possible,” he explained.