21900 East Country Vista Drive Gas Leak Update

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Spokane Valley Firefighters Respond to Natural Gas Leak

Spokane Valley, Wash. – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a reported natural gas leak in the 21900 block of E. Country Vista Drive at about 2:50 pm today. A contractor digging on the south side of the roadway hit a natural gas line which emitted an odor and hissing.

Spokane Valley firefighters arrived on the scene and deployed and manned fire hoses while Liberty Lake Police Department shut down all lanes of Country Vista Drive between Stanford and Whitman Lane, diverting traffic through the nearby shopping center parking lot. Central Valley School District buses carrying students home from school were diverted back to their schools for parent pick up.

Crews from Avista Utilities arrived on the scene quickly and began working to identify the location and size of the leak. They worked with firefighters to remove a manhole cover on the north side of the street to dissipate the gas. At the same time, about 30 units of the neighboring Legacy Villa Apartments were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Two businesses downwind of the leak were also evacuated. Firefighters continued to stand by with fire hoses to protect the Avista crews while they worked to clamp off the severed gas line in two places.

After the gas leak was contained, firefighters worked with Avista crews to check each of the evacuated apartments for detectable levels of natural gas before allowing residents to return. As of 6:30 pm, all but 12 units were cleared for reoccupation. These residents will not be able to return for 24 hours while Avista works to pull the trapped natural gas out of the surrounding ground.

A total of 12 apparatus, command and support vehicles responded to the scene, including Spokane County Fire District 8 and the Liberty Lake Police Department for traffic control. No injuries have been reported.

About SVFD
Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Spokane Valley, City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood and unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State.  For more information, visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com

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