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Crime & Safety

People Flee Gas Station as Errant SUV Severs Natural Gas Line in Edmonds

Driver inadvertantly pressed the wrong pedal, says Edmonds Police Department

A natural gas break caused by an errant driver scattered people filling up their tanks at the 76 station on Edmonds Way.

Shortly before 7 p.m. today, the driver of an SUV pulling into the west side of the station to use the vacuum cleaner inadvertantly touched the gas pedal instead of the brake, according to Officer L.M. Mack of the Edmonds Police Department.

The SUV broke through a yellow barrier pole, severed the gas line leading into the gas station and left a hole in the wall. When told of what happened, many of those putting gas into their cars fled, said Jim Hamlin of Puget Sound Energy. PSE was called to the scene after it was determined that gas was leaking.

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Edmonds Police briefly shut down eastbound Edmonds Way and rerouted westbound traffic into Westgate, north on 95th Place West to 224th Street Southwest.

Puget Sound Energy was able to turn off the natural gas and traffic was restored on Edmonds Way.

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Puget Sound Energy will be working to replace the damage, said Hamlin.

The driver was not cited but is liable for damage, said Mack.

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