Lexington neighbors are back in their homes Thursday evening after multiple streets were evacuated due to a gas leak.Around 2 p.m. Thursday, Jim and Brenda Clapper left their home praying it would still be standing when they got back.”We evacuated pretty much immediately,” Jim said.The Clappers said a police officer knocked on their door and said a gas line in their yard had been struck. Brenda knew by the smell.”I was probably about 40 feet away and it was just horrible,” she said.The now-repaired gas line is marked by a pile of dirt and an orange cone.The Clappers said a crew started working that morning to lay fiber optic cable.Homes on Lakeview Drive, Tomahawk Lane and Arrowhead Road had to evacuate.”The old saying, ‘Stuff happens,’ but you wouldn’t think it would happen again as soon,” Jim said.Just more than five months ago, in April, a gas leak caused a home explosion less than a mile from the Clappers’ house.Now, a vacant lot and memorial marks the site where the blast killed a 5-year-old boy and injured the boy’s father.Neighbors are worried this could happen again.”Supposedly, the lines are marked,” said neighbor Jim Pendergrass. “Why did they hit another one? We already had one explosion in this town. Do we need another one?”Pendergrass said he wasn’t home when the gas leak happened but his wife was. She was quickly evacuated. When he returned to the neighborhood, he found it still closed off but did talk to the Lexington mayor who was on scene.”I asked the mayor, when’s enough, enough?” Pendergrass said. “We’ve already had one death and houses blown up.”KMBC 9 reached out to the City of Lexington but was told no one is available for interviews.Neighbors were able to return to their homes just before 4 p.m. and credited first responders with their quick reaction in getting everyone evacuated.
Lexington neighbors are back in their homes Thursday evening after multiple streets were evacuated due to a gas leak.
Around 2 p.m. Thursday, Jim and Brenda Clapper left their home praying it would still be standing when they got back.
“We evacuated pretty much immediately,” Jim said.
The Clappers said a police officer knocked on their door and said a gas line in their yard had been struck. Brenda knew by the smell.
“I was probably about 40 feet away and it was just horrible,” she said.
The now-repaired gas line is marked by a pile of dirt and an orange cone.
The Clappers said a crew started working that morning to lay fiber optic cable.
Homes on Lakeview Drive, Tomahawk Lane and Arrowhead Road had to evacuate.
“The old saying, ‘Stuff happens,’ but you wouldn’t think it would happen again as soon,” Jim said.
Just more than five months ago, in April, a gas leak caused a home explosion less than a mile from the Clappers’ house.
Now, a vacant lot and memorial marks the site where the blast killed a 5-year-old boy and injured the boy’s father.
Neighbors are worried this could happen again.
“Supposedly, the lines are marked,” said neighbor Jim Pendergrass. “Why did they hit another one? We already had one explosion in this town. Do we need another one?”
Pendergrass said he wasn’t home when the gas leak happened but his wife was. She was quickly evacuated. When he returned to the neighborhood, he found it still closed off but did talk to the Lexington mayor who was on scene.
“I asked the mayor, when’s enough, enough?” Pendergrass said. “We’ve already had one death and houses blown up.”
KMBC 9 reached out to the City of Lexington but was told no one is available for interviews.
Neighbors were able to return to their homes just before 4 p.m. and credited first responders with their quick reaction in getting everyone evacuated.