Gas pipeline pierced in Neumarkt im Hausruckkreis – around 40 residents evacuated, nearly 1,000 households without power

Around 40 residents had to leave their homes and wait for the area to be released, as reported. While the gas line was being emptied, residents were unable to return to their apartments. The Red Cross was involved in the operation and took care of the evacuated people.

Impact on power supply

In addition to the evacuation, the incident also had an impact on the power supply. At times, up to 952 customer installations, or nearly 1,000 households, in the surrounding area were without electricity. The energy providers worked in parallel with the repair of the gas line to restore supply to the affected connections.

Three fire departments from the region were deployed for almost five hours to secure the damaged line and bring the situation under control. The main gas valve was shut off to stop the further escape of gas, while specialist forces properly emptied the line.

Emergency services and sequence of events

At around 10:35 p.m., the all-clear could finally be given and the operation ended. By that time, the gas line had been completely emptied, the power supply had been largely restored, and the residential settlement could be released again. According to the information available, no one was injured.

The cause of the incident goes back to construction or maintenance work in the underground garage. During drilling or other ground work, the underground gas line had apparently been damaged. There are no indications of intentional damage or third-party fault at this point in time.

Background: Risks in civil engineering work

Emergency services emphasized that swift action had prevented worse. The rapid closure of the main valve and the large-scale evacuation in a radius around the scene of the damage had been necessary to rule out any danger of explosion. Residents reported that they had smelled gas and had been informed by the fire department.

After the operation ended, the residents returned to their homes late in the evening. No detailed information was initially available regarding possible property damage to the buildings or to the gas line infrastructure. There was also no information by late Thursday evening regarding the exact amount of damage and possible civil law consequences for those responsible.

The incident sheds light on the risks of civil engineering work in the immediate vicinity of supply lines. In residential settlements with underground gas lines, special caution is required, as even small damage can have serious consequences. The responsible authorities and network operators routinely check whether consequences for safety standards are necessary in the case of such incidents.

The district of Grieskirchen and the municipal authority of Neumarkt im Hausruckkreis were informed about the incident. The operations command thanked the fire departments involved and the Red Cross for the coordinated operation. The energy supply companies also worked closely with the emergency services to restore the power supply as quickly as possible.