Published: 2:50 PM, 07/20/2010

By: Jeff Eason

A backhoe operator accidentally broke a safety valve on one of two 1,000-gallon, underground propane tanks located behind Outback Steakhouse on US Hwy 321 in Blowing Rock a little before noon on Tuesday. The resulting gas leak forced the closing of most businesses between Woodlands Barbecue and the Scotchman convenience store, as well as the evacuation of the residents of Ransom Street. Police closed off traffic on Hwy 321 from Sunset Drive to the Broyhill Furniture Showroom.

Personnel from Blowing Rock Fire and Rescue were on the scene of the propane leak within minutes of the accident. Firefighters Kenny Howell and Jesse Ray manned the main nozzle as a steady stream of water was poured on the propane leak in an effort to cause it to disperse. During the first 30 minutes of the leak, the smell of propane could be detected all the way down to Sunset Drive.

"We were fortunate in that the weather was perfect for dispersing a propane leak like this," said BRF&R deputy fire chief Kent Graham. "It has been clear and breezy and that has helped dissipate the propane. If it had been overcast we would have had a greater risk of it accumulating and finding a source of ignition. Propane is heavier than air so it flows downhill. So you have it flowing both downwind and downhill."

At 12:55 the leak was officially secured and teams moved in to cap the safety valve and empty the remaining propane from the tank. BRF&R personnel Doug Matheson and Matt McGuire worked with new Boone fire chief Jimmy Isaacs to remove water, mud and gravel from the valve site and cap it.

Around 1:15 the decision was made to burn off the remaining propane in the tank and a line was connected from the tank to a stand-alone burner that was placed in an empty area of the Outback parking lot. At 1:45 Chief Isaacs lit the torch to burn off the remaining propane.

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