A water-main break is believed to have caused the disruption, with water infiltrating the gas lines. The problem started with one customer Thursday night, followed by dozens on Friday.
Officials hoped to restore the gas to the remaining customers overnight Sunday, with all the work completed by Monday morning, and the hope of no more traffic disruptions on Main Street for commuters, said Jim Logan, Hamilton’s executive director of infrastructure, who oversees the city’s utilities.
“That’s our goal, is to get it back up by (Monday) morning,” he said.
Nearly all the customers on Park Avenue had their gas restored, and that roadway no longer was being blocked by repair crews. Some Park Avenue customers hadn’t had their service restored because they hadn’t returned home and crews needed to get inside to re-light their appliances.
“We’ve got about 24 customers without gas right now,” said Logan, who said crews have been “working 24/7 since Thursday night to bring service back online.”
“The firefighters did a really nice thing for us this morning,” he said. “They brought us out some nice, warm coffee to try to keep our spirits high.”
Some businesses in the area still had gas service because they are served by other gas mains.
As for customers, “We’re thankful for their patience — I know it’s been a major inconvenience, but I’m proud of our team and how fast they responded,” Logan said. “A little bit more patience and we’ll get out of the way.”
A final verdict on the cause isn’t in, but a water main break is believed to have caused a break in the gas main, flooding it with water.
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