12:16pm

Tue January 3, 2012
Mountain Kentucky

Gas Line Still Burns in Estill County

Credit Charles Bertram / Lexington Herald-Leader
A large flame was still visible Tuesday morning after a gas line ruptured last night off Ky. 89 near Irvine. The buried gas line ruptured Monday night, creating a huge fire ball.

UPDATE: Flames continued to shoot into the air Tuesday morning from a broken gas transmission line in Estill County as work crews allowed residual gas in the line to burn off. All but one of the 30 to 35 families evacuated from the area when the gas line blew out Monday night had returned to their homes as of Tuesday morning, said Estill County Judge Executive Wallace Taylor. The one family that still had not returned lived the closest to the explosion and their residence suffered some minor damage, he said.