On Friday, Sept. 8, at approximately 1 p.m. a natural gas leak at the Gunbarrel Amoco, located on Lookout and Spine Roads, shut down the Gunbarrel Shopping Center. 

According to reports, G & G Fueling Systems, Inc., the maintenance crew on the scene, broke the natural gas line causing the entire area to be evacuated for three hours.

At the time, G & G Fueling Systems was attempting to fix the corrosion on the gasoline tanks. The corrosion was discovered as a result of state mandated tests for tightness and leaks in and around the tanks and lines. 

According to Tony Dageenakis, whose family owns Gunbarrel Amoco, the repairs needed to be taken care of to keep the station up to state codes. While digging, G & G’s backhoe struck the natural gas line going into the station.

According to Gail Bishop, manager of the Amoco store, G & G did not seem very concerned at first. One of the workers came inside and asked if I could shut off the natural gas line, which cannot be done from inside the store," she recalled. G & G then assessed the situation and, because the fumes were becoming stronger, advised Bishop to call 911, which she did immediately. 

Those called to the scene included the Boulder Rural Fire Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Department and Public Service. The surrounding area, including King Soopers, was immediately shut down. Lookout Road, Spine Road and part of Gunpark Drive were closed. Area employees were evacuated but asked not to move their cars for fear of an explosion. 

When asked why the sur-rounding area was shut down Bishop remembered, "It was a windy day and the odor was very strong, which is why businesses were evacuated and we couldn’t take our cars. I could tell immediately when the natural gas was shut off, there was quite a difference in smell." 

Luckily, everyone was evacuated and the leak was controlled before an explosion could occur. 

Turning off the natural gas line proved to be more difficult than expected. The task turned into a several hour project when the valve was discovered to be submerged underwater. A hole in the street had to be drilled to access a different section in the line, and a new valve had to be installed.

The Amoco station was shut down for about three hours. King Soopers and other neighboring businesses were shut down for a one and one half-hours. The area lost considerable business for part of the afternoon as a result.

In talking about the incident, Dageenakis remarked, "Although what happened was unfortunate, it could have been a lot worse."