Eight days after a gas line explosion injured three and left approximately 20,000 people without power in Lee County, utility workers are gradually returning gas service to the area.
More than 700 Atmos Energy employees and contractors have been called in across the company’s eight state footprint to aid in restoration efforts. As of Thursday morning, at least 11,000 affected customers have had their service restored.
“The safety of the community, our customers, and Atmos Energy employees and contractors remains our highest priority,” a portion of an Atmos press release reads. “Over the coming days, highly trained technicians will continue to work their way through each affected area using a phased and systematic approach while working towards the goal of full service restoration in the safest and most efficient manner.”
For those that haven’t had their service restored, a text message will be sent to customers who have a valid mobile number listed on their account. You can sign up for outage alerts here. A dedicated service restoration map is also available for updates regarding the outage.
Atmos and law enforcement officials continue to warn Lee County residents of an ongoing scam related to the outage. The energy company urges customers to heed the following:
- Always ask for an employee’s identification badge, which displays their name, photograph, and Atmos Energy logo
- If you suspect an impostor, call Atoms’ Customer Contact Center at (888)286-6700 Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to verify the employee’s identity and contact local authorities.
- Beware of impostors demanding payment at your door
- Atmos employees will not collect payments in person or by a prepaid debit card, gift card, cryptocurrency, or an unauthorized third-party payment or mobile application.
“We are grateful to the community and the affected residents who have been understanding as our crews work throughout the area to restore service,” the statement concludes. “We also extend our sincere appreciation to Tupelo Fire and Police Departments and other community leaders for their support and partnership throughout this process.”
Further updates on the restoration process will be provided when made available.
