Gas break rocks Alexander Farm area

Last Updated: September 20, 2022By Tags:

Westmoreland was closed for 2 hours

[Updated] Sept. 20. By Dave Yochum. A major gas line break that sounded like a roaring jet at Alexander Farms has brought traffic to a halt on Westmoreland and West Catawba where the $110 million mixed-use project is under construction.

It’s unknown if there are any injuries, but witnesses said there was the sound of an enormous explosion around 2:10 pm.

Video

One witness, Justin Ckezepis, a resident of Preston at the Lake, said: “I don’t know what this is but it’s big.” He shot a video of the incident; click here to view it.

East-bound traffic (toward Jetton) is being redirected through the Robbins Park neighborhood and sent back to Huntersville.

Sounded ‘like a plane crash’

Jon Show said the explosion occurred only 200-300 yards from his home in Robbins Park.

“In all honesty it sounded like a plane went down. The rumble went on so long you knew it wasn’t fire,” Show said. He said there was now a gas odor in the Robbins Park neighborhood.

—There is a continuous roaring sound, according to nearby resident Brian Stack.

Updates

—At 6 pm Fire Chief Guerry Barbee confirmed no injuries.

—At 4:20 pm, Cornelius Police issued an all clear. The natural gas line is shut down; Westmoreland Road is open.

–At 4 pm, westbound traffic on West Catawba Avenue was getting back to normal. Eastbound traffic is very slow until you pass Westmoreland, which is still closed.

—School buses are being redirected around Westmoreland, which is closed. Dozens of utility workers on scene.

—At 3:30 pm CFD was asking people within a half mile to shelter in place.

—At least one school bus at Grand Oak Elementary in Huntersville was delayed because of the traffic.

—Roaring gas heard as far as Birkdale.

No Comments

  1. Dee September 20, 2022 at 3:41 pm - Reply

    Yes it was about 100yrds from me…im still shaken up by rhe sound.
    Will someone post whenever the roads are back open.

  2. Pat Barba’ September 20, 2022 at 3:46 pm - Reply

    I live in Lake Ridge and no one has shared any information with us.
    Should we be concerned?

  3. Town of Cornelius Communications Manager September 20, 2022 at 4:23 pm - Reply

    The leak has been contained and Westmoreland Road is open. Thank you to all of our residents for your patience.

  4. Stevie September 20, 2022 at 5:02 pm - Reply

    Curious as to how the working crew could be so careless – no, negligent. Don’t they know to call that 811 number before digging? Even if not, everyone around here knows that there are significant natural gas pipes running through the 50 foot wide utility easement where they were digging. If it were me digging there I’d proceed with the caution of an archaeologist.

  5. Valerie Smithers September 20, 2022 at 5:44 pm - Reply

    I agree Stevie. Anyone with any knowledge of Cornelius knows this. There is little regard for the town as it was or is. Just a push to develop every acre.

  6. Jim Vogel September 21, 2022 at 3:54 pm - Reply

    From Nantz, it sounded like a roar of a continuous airplane. There was no smell.

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