Several Streets Reopen in Chicago's Loop After Construction Crew Hits Gas Main, Causing Explosion

Several streets were shut down for several hours Tuesday afternoon in Chicago's Loop after a construction crew hit a gas main in the area, authorities said.

Fire officials said a construction crew hit an “old unused gas main” around 12:30 p.m. at State and Randolph causing a small explosion. A box which covers the valve for a gas line blew off during the incident and landed a block away near State and Madison, according to authorities, but no injuries were reported.

Crews from the fire department and People's Gas spent hours flushing the old, a process that ultimately shut down several roads in the area until just before 5 p.m. 

Chicago police said pedestrian and vehicle traffic was blocked from Lake Street south to Adams and Michigan and west to Dearborn, including State Street.

The road closures were also affecting public transit in the area. 

The Chicago Transit Authority said some Red Line trains were operating with residual delays due to fire department activity in the Loop. Service was resuming just before 2:15 p.m.

CTA spokesman Jeff Tolman said a number of busses were also being rerouted due to the closures. 

They include:

  • The no. 6
  • The no. 10
  • The no. 29
  • The no. 36
  • The no. 146
  • The no. 147
  • The no. 151
  • The no. 62
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