Traffic moving again on Highway 164 after gas leak

Summary

A gas leak that shut down Highway 164 between Enumclaw and Auburn has been fixed. The highway was shut down for hours Wednesday morning after a driver lost control and crashed into a natural gas line.

Story Published: Oct 29, 2008 at 6:27 AM PST

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 3:42 AM PST

Traffic moving again on Highway 164 after gas leak
ENUMCLAW, Wash. -- A gas leak that shut down Highway 164 between Enumclaw and Auburn has been fixed, and traffic is moving again on the highway.

A pickup truck ran off the Auburn-Enumclaw Highway near Southeast 380th about 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, went up a small hill about 20-30 feet, then struck and hit a natural gas line causing a leak.

State Patrol spokesman Cliff Pratt said the hissing could heard from about 1,000 feet away while the line was leaking.

"When crews first got here, it was like a roar of engines, you could hear this thing," Pratt said.

Crews managed to stop the leak by about 8 a.m., but repairs to the damaged gas line took another hour to complete.

Six people were evacuated from two homes while the gas was leaking.

The 19-year-old woman who was driving the pickup suffered a minor head injury and was arrested for investigation of drunken driving. Hours later, a passenger in the truck had to be taken to the hospital as well, but no word on that person's condition.