Ruptured Natural Gas Line Causes Temporary Closure of El Indio Highway in Eagle Pass, Texas

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

The Maverick County Sheriff Department reported receiving telephone calls regarding the strong smell of natural gas at approximately 11 A.M. on Friday, February 9, 2018, within the intersection of El Indio Highway (FM 1221) and Loop 480 in southern Eagle Pass, Texas, causing the Sheriff’s Department to call the Eagle Pass Fire Department and Texas Department of Public Safety for assistance.

Apparently, a ruptured natural gas line near the intersection of El Indio Highway and Loop 480 ruptured and was leaking natural gas into the atmosphere, prompting law enforcement agencies to temporarily close the intersection traveling on both El Indio Highway and Loop 480 until representatives of the natural gas pipeline company were able to arrive and repair the ruptured gas line.  

Law enforcement authorities reported the need to temporarily close the busy intersection in southern Maverick County was due to avoiding any potential injuries to citizens inhaling the natural gas or any potential explosion of the gas pipeline from an incendiary source.

After approximately an hour of temporarily closing the intersection, law enforcement authorities reopened it after natural gas pipeline company employees repaired the gas leak.  Traffic was reopened to the public once the natural gas pipeline was repaired and ceased leaking natural gas into the atmosphere.