AURORA — A construction accident involving a 5-inch gas supply line near Copley Hospital triggered a 10-hour emergency response last week, Aurora Interim Fire Chief Kevin Nickel reported to the City Council on Tuesday.
The leak occurred Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the intersection of Walcott and Waterford when a crew installing a sign struck the line with an auger. Nickel described the situation as a “monumental task,” noting that shutting down the line risked cutting off the hospital’s supply.
Frigid temperatures complicated the scene, causing the natural gas to “drop” and settle near the ground rather than dissipating upward. The gas followed underground pipelines into the basements of nearby apartments and businesses, leading to systematic evacuations…