THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008

---

Gas Main Break Closes Balmoral

By TOM ROBB

Journal Reporter

Approximately 20 Rosemont police officers and firefighters responded to a major gas main break at the Aloft Hotel construction site last Thursday that shut down Balmoral Avenue for three hours.

Police cordoned off Balmoral from River Road to Pearl Street in Rosemont and evacuated construction workers from the construction site where the rupture took place.

Police spokesman Sgt. Keith Kania said a backhoe operated by Plote Construction working at the site struck the underground gas main causing a the break on Thursday, May 22 at about 9 a.m.

Nicor spokesman Richard Carago said repair crews were called to 9700 Balmoral Ave. at 9:11 a.m., were on scene by 9:30 a.m. and completed repairs at 11:47 a.m. Thursday. Carago said the gas main was a four-inch plastic pipe. Police reopened Balmoral to traffic at 12:16 p.m.

One Rosemont Fire Dept. ladder truck and one pumper truck responded to the scene as a preventative measure. Fire commanders and eight police units also responded. Carago said service was only interrupted to the Aloft site. Nicor's claims department is investigating the incident and may seek damages from Plote.