A major southeast Atlanta roadway reopened Wednesday morning after crews repaired a broken gas main that caused a massive fire.
The Tuesday afternoon blaze in the 2400 block of Memorial Drive scorched the road and caught a nearby business on fire, according to Atlanta fire officials. It started about 2 p.m. and sent huge flames and smoke over the East Lake neighborhood before it was contained.
Memorial Drive remained shut down between 2nd and Carter avenues overnight while crews worked to repair the six-inch natural gas main. Repairs were completed just before 6:30 a.m. and the road reopened, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Atlanta Gas Light is working with local authorities to investigate the incident. The company determined that “a third-party contractor was boring near the location and damaged a six-inch natural gas main.”
(4/4) While we are working with local authorities to investigate this incident, we have determined that a third-party contractor was boring near the location and damaged a six-inch natural gas main.
— Atlanta Gas Light (@atlantagaslight) January 8, 2020
Craig Burns, who owns the building that caught fire, told Channel 2 that crews were drilling outside his business when there was an explosion. Witnesses told the news station it was so violent that it made the ground shake.
Craig Burns says a crew was drilling in front of his business on Memorial Drive when they hit a gas line causing a massive explosion. pic.twitter.com/6pAMpz5HxI
— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) January 7, 2020
About 10 customers were without service after the fire, an Atlanta Gas Light spokeswoman said.
(3/4) We remain onsite working safely and efficiently to make the necessary repairs and restore natural gas access as quickly as possible to the approximate 10 customers without service.
— Atlanta Gas Light (@atlantagaslight) January 8, 2020
— Staff writer Chelsea Prince contributed to this article.
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