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Natural gas flow now restored in Kaplan, reconnecting to begin Thursday

KAPLAN — Kaplan Mayor Kirk Champagne says natural gas flow has been restored to the city after it was cut off due to a traffic accident last weekend.
A third-party contractor will be lighting pilots at residents and businesses, starting today.
The lines have been pressure tested to ensure there were no leaks and no flaws were detected.
Priority locations will be put on line first, then the city will begin sending certified gas employees to each home. Outside contractors will be brought in to help get
everyone on line as soon as possible. If no one is home, the employees will leave a door hanger for the resident to call City Hall and set up an appointment to restore gas to their home.
Phones at city hall will be manned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., including weekends, until all homes are reconnected. The number to reach city hall is 643-8602.
City officials are asking all residents to not try and turn on their own gas because of safety reasons. The certified employees will make sure all is safe before they leave your residence.
No decision has been made as to where the starting point will be to begin re-flow to residences.
Because this will be a huge endeavor as meters will have to be unlocked and pilot lights lit, city officials are asking for everyone to be patient just a little longer as all the crews are exhausted and have done “tremendous” work to come to this point.
Chief of Police Boyd Adams said a car crashed into the city’s natural gas regulator station in the early morning hours on Sunday, Aug. 29. The station is located on the empty lot adjacent to the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. No arrest has been made. The driver fled the scene and the case is still being investigated. According to Adams, an arrest is expected to be made at some point in the near future.
The outage lasted four days while energy crews fixed the natural gas regulator station.
Around 2,500 meters had to be disconnected, and all homes and businesses were without natural gas.

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