Gas leak temporarily closes Pilot Knob

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A stuck relief valve on a gas pipeline forced Farmington firefighters to close down a portion of southbound Pilot Knob Road Monday morning.

The Farmington Fire Department was summoned to the natural gas pumping facility at the corner of 190th Street West and Pilot Knob Road around 9:30 a.m., after a neighbor reported hearing a hissing sound coming from a pipe, Farmington fire marshal John Powers said.

Upon inspection by Minnesota Energy Resources technicians, it was discovered that a relief valve on one of MERC’s lines had been frozen in an open position. The relief valve prevents over-pressurization of natural gas.

Firefighters were on standby as MERC and Northern Natural Gas employees monitored the area to make sure the gas did not reach a harmful range and then repaired the valve, Powers said. Closing the portion of Pilot Knob Road that surrounded the area was a safety precaution, he added.

Tags: public safety, news, farmington