An excavator was destroyed Wednesday after a crew working in the 2700 block of Grant Street in Concord nicked a gas line and scattered as the area was consumed by fire.
Firefighters were unable to save the vehicle but were able to control the blaze until PG&E crews arrived to shut down the gas line and other nearby utilities.
John Muir Hospital’s Concord facility declared an internal emergency after the fire broke out, with their Urgent Care Center and Concord Outpatient Center closing and cancelling scheduled appointments.
There were no reported injuries despite the dramatic flareup.
Figured something was wrong when John Muir Urgent Care canceled my daughter’s appointment!!! Came here to figure out what was going on. Glad no one was hurt!
Avoided it all because of Adam and the flash!
well that was fun. now what/?
Great big blowtorch in the middle of the neighborhood — what are yall so excited about?
This is why when digging with heavy equipment, read the diagrams, consult with local utilities and use ground penetrating radar to locate lines BEFORE digging. Also use spotters at the point of the bucket to stop work if lines or red concrete is located.