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Courthouse Evacuated After Gas Smell Fills Downtown La Grange

By Andy Behlen
La Grange Assistant Fire Chief Frankie Srubar (center) leads a team of firefighters out of the courthouse Monday morning after checking for a gas leak. County leaders evacuated the courthouse that morning after noticing a strong smell of natural gas. The smell turned out to be associated with some work on a natural gas line at the new Business 71 river bridge. Photo by Andy Behlen

People in downtown La Grange noticed a strong smell of natural gas Tuesday morning, Jan. 26. The smell was so strong that County leaders evacuated the Courthouse for a short time.

No one was in danger, however. CenterPoint Energy, the natual gas utility in La Grange, said workers had to purge some lines as part of the Colorado River bridge construction project on Business 71.

“CenterPoint Energy crews are collaborating with the Texas Department of Transportation on a project near downtown La Grange,” said Alejandra Diaz, a spokesperson for CenterPoint.

“While conducting the work and to avoid service interruption for customers in the area, CenterPoint Energy’s Mobile Energy Solutions (MES) is currently supplying service to area customers,” Diaz said. “There is the potential that during the purge, people in the area may notice an odor of natural gas.”

The project was expected to be completed that afternoon. CenterPoint wished to remind the public that natural gas has a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur. If you smell natural gas, please follow these steps.

Inside your home or building:

Step 1: Leave immediately on foot. Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), drive or start a car or anything that could cause a spark.

Step 2: Go directly to a safe location, on foot, and call both CenterPoint Energy at 888- 876-5786 and 911. Do not use e-mail or the Internet to contact the company about a leak, and never assume someone else has reported the leak.

Step 3: Alert your neighbors. CenterPoint Energy checks suspected natural gas leaks at no cost to you.

Step 4: Never try to repair a natural gas leak yourself. Leave all repairs to a trained technician.

Outside your home or building:

Step 1: Leave immediately on foot. Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), start or drive a car or anything that could cause a spark. Move in a upwind direction away from the leak or vapor cloud where you can no longer smell gas and maintain a safe distance.

Step 2: Go directly to a safe location and call both Center-Point Energy at 888-876-5786 and 911 .

Step 3: Warn others to stay away from the leak. Abandon any equipment being used in or near the area.

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