Bartholomew residents allowed to return home after large gas leak

Residents were finally able to return home early this morning after a large gas line leak yesterday near the Bartholomew and Brown County line.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the incident started when a gas line ruptured near West County Road 170S and Whitehorse Road late yesterday afternoon. That is near Columbus Youth Camp. Officials originally began evacuating residents who lived within a mile and a half of the leak in every direction. That area included parts of both Bartholomew and Brown Counties.

However, later in the evening gas company officials narrowed the evacuation area to a half mile to the north and the south of the leak.

The sheriff’s department reported at about 2:25 a.m. this morning that the line was secured for the night and allowed residents to return to their homes.

Further complicating efforts were unfounded rumors spread on social media in the Hope area that the gas line rupture on the opposite end of the county would lead to evacuations there also. Officials including the Hope Police Department dispelled the rumors.

The Southern Brown County Volunteer Fire Department said that the leak was caused by a rupture in a 30 inch gas line.