By Michael Stavola
The Wichita Eagle
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Officials will continue to monitor the site of a gas explosion that occurred Saturday in downtown Hutchinson.
The Hutchinson Fire Department and Kansas Gas allowed some residents back into their homes after being evacuated Saturday.
“Currently there is 18 businesses and 1 residential home without gas service,” the Hutchinson Fire Department said Sunday morning. " Kansas gas will continue to have a large presence in this area for the next couple days... to remedy the situation.”
Authorities have minimized the evacuation area to these streets: " Main Street from D. Ave down to G Ave. 1 Block East and West of Main Street on E. Ave. This includes all businesses on both sides of Main Street and 1 residential home at 11 East F Ave.,” according to the HFD.
Officials evacuated several blocks near and around downtown after a gas leak caused an explosion Saturday at a longtime auto parts store, according to Fire Chief Steven Beer.
Firefighters were called at 9:26 a.m. about a gas odor at Steffens Auto Parts, 428 S. Main. It’s an odorized gas, Beer said.
“Upon arrival crews witnessed the building exploded,” Beer said in a news release just after 1 p.m. “Everyone in the structure got out. This fire is a gas-fed fire through a (10-inch) natural gas line. The main body of fire at (the auto parts store) has been controlled however the street and sidewalk remains on fire due to the gas leak. Crews went to a defensive operation using unmanned freestreams.”
Video and photos online show several water lines all going to fight the fire. One person said on Facebook that her family member, owner Darin Clifford, “evacuated just before it blew up.”
The city of Hutchinson said at around 11:50 a.m. that, because of “a large fire in the downtown area,” it was evacuating Avenue A to Avenue F and Plum to Adams. That area could be expanded, Beer said.
“All residents and businesses within these boundaries are urged to evacuate immediately for their safety,” the city said on Facebook.
Tony Hernandez, who shot video of the fire, said he could smell gas and could see a gas line burning in front of the store. The Hutchinson man said it smelled like propane.
Eldon “Butch” Steffens opened Steffens Auto Parts in 1968. Darin Clifford, who started working at Steffens in 1980, purchased the business in 1997 when Butch retired, according to the Hutchinson News.
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