Contractors hit natural gas pipeline on Bend’s west side; leak prompts evacuations, shelters and road closures in area

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Contractors working to upgrade the city of Bend’s water mains hit a natural gas line on the city’s west side Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of two homes, the closure of surrounding streets and prompting some residents to stay home while repairs were being made.

Shortly before 7:30 a.m., news came that the 4-inch-wide gas line in the 1500 block of Northwest Saginaw Avenue had been hit, PulsePoint said.

As a result, Juniper Street between Portland Avenue and Trenton Avenue and Saginaw Avenue from Quincy Avenue to its dead end on the east were closed, said Dan Derlacki, deputy fire marshal for Bend Fire & Rescue.

Cascade Natural Gas crews are “on site and working to stop the fire, but it could take several hours to complete,” Derlacki said.

“The two nearest houses were evacuated and the rest were asked to stay indoors and close all doors and windows,” the fire official said. “Since there is hardly any wind today, the gas is rising into the atmosphere and not towards the houses.”

CNG spokesman Mark Hanson confirmed that the line was damaged by a contractor working on a city project.

Hanson said the damage occurred where a supply line connected to a transmission line, causing the leak. Only one natural gas customer was affected.