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Last updated on Wednesday, September 24, 2014
(ELWOOD) - Emergency crews dealt with a fire from a ruptured natural gas pipeline south of Elwood Tuesday morning.
The fire was put out and no one was injured, but two nearby farms were evacuated.
The rupture was on County Road 900 West between S.R. 128 and Elwood, and was caused when a vehicle ran over a roadside valve.
Madison County Sheriff Ron Richardson reported a motorist was southbound on 900 West around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday when he swerved to avoid a raccoon in the road, and struck the gas line on the east shoulder of the road.
The car was about 40 feet from the ruptured line when the line ignited, sending a pressurized flame approximately 50 feet into the air.
The driver was not injured and was driven home from the scene.
Richardson says Vectren and Panhandle Eastern closed off the line at valves in Elwood and Noblesville, and let the remaining gas in the line burn away. The fire burned out shortly before 4 a.m.
Crews concerned with residual gas built up in the line shut down 900 West between 900 North and S.R. 128 as a precaution.
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