Classes at Franklin’s elementary school were disrupted Thursday by a natural gas line break.
The Robertson County sheriff’s office reported a two inch gas line was damaged and was leaking gas into the city’s sewer system.
That prompted Franklin ISD to bus elementary students and employees to the district’s indoor practice facility.
They returned to campus in time for regular dismissal.
Atmos Energy reported Thursday after that their employees are making repairs after a construction crew not related to Atmos caused the damage.
Statement from Atmos Energy Thursday afternoon, March 23, 2023:
A construction crew doing work unrelated to Atmos Energy was working at 612 South Center Street in Franklin, TX and damaged a natural gas pipeline.
Atmos Energy’s highly trained technicians are on scene making the necessary repairs and there are no evacuations at this time. Residents may experience traffic delays and should seek an alternate route.
The most common cause of outside natural gas leaks is digging or construction that disturbs natural gas pipelines. If you nick, scrape, or dent a natural gas pipeline, call 911 and then call Atmos Energy’s emergency number at 866-322-8667 so we can inspect the pipeline and make any needed repairs. Even minor damage can weaken a pipeline and lead to a future leak.
For more information about digging safely, please visit https://www.atmosenergy.com/safety/call-811-before-you-dig. Call 811 at least three business days before digging to have underground utilities marked. It’s free, it’s safe, and it’s required by law.
