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Date: June 11, 2009
Contact: Maureen Oltrogge, 928-638-7779

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - At approximately 8:00 this morning, the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call with a report of a broken propane line adjacent to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.  The break occurred when a backhoe being operated by a construction worker hit the line. 

The project supervisor immediately called 9-1-1 to report the incident, then started an evacuation of the Visitor Center and adjacent area.  National Park Service emergency responders arrived on scene and were able to shut down the propane line within 10 minutes of the report. 

Emergency responders continued the evacuation of the Visitor Center and surrounding area, and began re-routing vehicle and bus traffic around the Visitor Center and down Center Road.  Emergency responders reopened the Visitor Center and resumed vehicle and pedestrian traffic into the area within 30 minutes, once the area had been stabilized.  No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

Grand Canyon National Park Incident Commander, David Van Inwagen, commended the project supervisor for his actions immediately following the incident.  “His prompt actions to call 9-1-1 and then initiate an evacuation of the area brought a quick response by emergency crews and likely prevented any further incident.”

A local propane vendor has been called in to repair the line.

-NPS-