A gas explosion in north Mississippi has injured three utility workers and left 20,000 without gas service.
Lee County officials reported that a group of workers were attempting to repair a gas leak Wednesday morning when the line exploded. The injured workers were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, though their condition is currently unknown.
Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Chris Brown also confirmed the incident, noting that the explosion cut off gas service to around 20,000 customers in the region.
“We are saddened to hear about this morning’s accident,” Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured workers and their families and we pray for their complete recovery. I want to state that we will do everything in our power to assist Atmos Energy in getting natural gas service restored to our area.”
A statement from Atmos Energy reads:
“Atmos Energy crews are working to restore natural gas service to homes and businesses in Lee County, Miss. We are reaching out to customers in the affected area, and residents may see Atmos Energy trucks working throughout the area. Residents can find the most up-to-date information at AtmosEnergy.com/LeeCounty.”
Atmos Energy officials also said before repairs can be made, customers’ gas much be turned off manually one by one. The process is expected to take multiple days as Atmos technicians work to restore service “as quickly and safely as possible.”
Updates during the process can be accessed here.
