Tuesday a damaged fuel line forced the evacuation of North Summit Elementary School in Coalville.
“Snow and ice had piled up on the meter,” said Darren Shepherd, a representative for Questar. “The thaw and freezing of the ice broke the meter and it caused a gas leak.”
Students were evacuated into the nearby high school for about three hours until the leak was repaired, North Summit School District Superintendent Steve Carlsen said.
“Within about [90 minutes] they let us know that they had things under control,” Carlsen said.
Property owners must make sure their gas meters are clear of snow and ice to prevent leaks.
“It’s there responsibility to protect the meter and make sure that they are not piling up snow, and also make sure that it’s protected from snow and ice that might fall from the roof,” Shepherd said.
Water operator of the year
An employee at Summit County’s Mountain Regional Water Special Service District was recognized as water operator of the year by the Rural Water Association of Utah at a conference in St. George.
Brian Davenport has worked at Mountain Regional since around the time the district formed in 2000.
Davenport oversees the inspection of new construction in the district. He works with contractors to ensure that building specifications comply and makes sure sample-monitoring schedules are met.
According to Mountain Regional Water chief Andy Armstrong, Davenport is instrumental in locating leaks in the Snyderville Basin water system.
“Brian works long hours, including many holidays, to keep our customers in service. He is committed to providing our customers with quality water and dependable service,” Armstrong said. “He is our go-to guy for all our field problems. No one deserves this honor more than he does.”