Updated 4:30pm 5/16/17
A natural gas line leak caused authorities to close down a major intersection in Morningside early Tuesday afternoon.
Tina Potthoff, spokesperson for MidAmerican Energy says the gas line was punctured during the noon hour near the intersection of South Lakeport and Lincoln Way:
OC……safety precaution. ;13
Sioux City Fire Rescue says electricity to some of those homes was also turned off for safety reasons.
Some residents were moved to the Southern Hills Mall Food Court if they had nowhere else to go.
(As of 5pm, they can report to the command post at South Lakeport & Nicollet Way for information on returning to their homes)
East High School and Nodland elementary were not in the danger zone, but because of the intersection being closed, access to the schools was restricted to Sunnybrook Drive.
The intersection remained closed as of 5:30pm.
***Authorities hope to have one lane north and south on South Lakeport re-opened to traffic by 7pm.***
————————————————
Updated 3:10pm 5/16/17
MidAmerican energy is estimating the leak being contained in approximately two hours, or around 5:00 PM.
They also anticipate that only one home in the area will be without natural gas once the leak has been repaired and will require additional work to resupply that home.
Several homes in the area have had the electricity shut off as a precaution and should be restored soon after the leak has been repaired.
East High School and Nodland Elementary are not in the danger area, but parents and students are reminded to enter and exit from the north, off Sunnybrook Drive.
If you live in the area, and do not have a place to go during the closure, a representative of Sioux City Fire Rescue is present at the Southern Hills Mall Food Court.
Information will be available there as to when residents can return to their homes.
Once again, all other motorists are asked to please avoid the area as traffic congestion is already becoming a problem.
————————————————————-
A natural gas line leak has caused authorities to close down a major intersection in Morningside early Tuesday afternoon.
A spokesperson for MidAmerican Energy says the gas line was punctured during the noon hour near the intersection of South Lakeport and Lincoln Way.
Some nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution because of the strong odor.
Residents werec asked to gov to the Southern Hills Mall Food Court while the leak was contained.
Crews from MidAmerican Energy and Sioux City Fire Rescue are on the scene to contain the leak and make sure residents were safely evacuated.
The intersection was still closed as of 1:45pm.
Photo courtesy KMEG
