Austin Demo On Avoiding Gas Line Ruptures Set

AUSTIN, TX — Fire officials have scheduled a live demonstration showing what happens when a natural gas line is ruptured against a backdrop of increasing incidents amid brisk construction activity in the city.

Crews at the Austin Fire Department Training Facility, 4800 Shaw Lane, are teaming up with the Austin Fire Department, Texas Gas Service, Texas811, the Central Texas Damage Prevention Council and others for the demonstration. In a reenactment, Texas Gas Service crews and the Austin Fire Department will respond to a natural gas line damaged by an excavator, causing a release of natural gas, officials said. The line will be pressurized with air for safety but will look and sound just like a real line being hit, officials noted.

The upcoming demonstration comes amid a construction boom fueled by the strong local economy. Reports of ruptured gas lines increasingly have come in as contractors scramble to meet construction deadlines largely to accommodate the needs of an influx of new residents. While not limited to downtown, the prevalence of construction cranes dotting the downtown landscape illustrates the current brisk construction activity in fast-growing Austin. Patch has reported often on such ruptures in the past.

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The aim of this week's live demonstration is to heighten awareness of the 811 line that people should call before digging to avoid gas line ruptures. Other goals of the demonstration include:

• Promote safe digging practices such as calling 811 two business days before digging.
• Demonstrate how to dig around a natural gas line safely by respecting the tolerance zone, or the area immediately surrounding the line.
• Demonstrate what to do if a line is damaged.
• Demonstrate what not to do you hit a natural gas line.

The event is scheduled on Thursday, May 16, at the AFD Training Facility, 4800 Shaw Lane. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. for the demonstration that is free and open to the public. After registration, the ruptured gas line demonstration is scheduled to occur at 8:45 a.m., followed by an electrical arc demonstration at 9:15 a.m. At 9:45 a.m., officials will discuss ways of driving safely away from such incidents, followed by a speed shoring demonstration at 10:15 a.m.