Gas line ruptures closes Hwy. 378 Thursday during afternoon commute

Lexington, SC (Paul Kirby) – A work crew accidentally cut a gas line near Hwy. 378 and Augusta Rd. Thursday afternoon causing the fire service to ask law enforcement to close Hwy. 378 completely. The incident began just after 5:30 p.m. and the major thoroughfare was closed until well after 7:00 p.m. The area affected was in the 100 block close to Hudson Ford.

Once the county’s 911 center was notified, they dispatched a full hazardous materials response rushing to the scene. Battalion Chief Brad Amick was in command and reported that a cloud of the gas was crossing the highway. At that point, he gave the order to close the road completely. Several businesses in the area were evacuated, and several were asked to have their employees and occupants shelter in place. This means that the people in those buildings are told to stay put, stay inside, and use caution making sure not to have any open flames about. Firefighters used cones of water to dissipate the gas where it was leaking. This caused it to disperse and prevented it from accumulating and reaching an explosive mixture with the air that was already around the area of the break.

One situation that caused concern for some parents was the children that attend after school programs at the Genova Family Karate Academy and Dance Studio. Those children were first sheltered at the studio and later ferried to the Clayton Homes parking lot at the corner of Bruton Smith Rd. and Hwy 378 where their parents could pick them up. The county’s spokesman tried to reassure parents by tweeting that no children were in danger.

Representatives from SCE&G arrived on the scene at about 6:26 p.m. and they were able to quickly cut the flow of the gas. Just before 7:00 p.m., Chief Amick called the scene under control but he ordered the highway to remain closed until the fire service could pick up their hoses and equipment and the gas could dissipate.

Fire service units began to clear the scene at approximately 7:16 p.m. At 7:20 p.m., Lexington police officers reopened the road and allowed the traffic to flow again.