Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Hazmat topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City coordinates safety response for leaking underground propane tank near Avenue D Park
Summary
Fire department and contractor PD Petroleum described plans to remove or inert a leaking underground propane tank at 314 S. 7th; the work will be donated, require permits and a brief street closure, and include flaring with fire‑department standby.
City staff and contractor Brian Bearden of PD Petroleum told the commission they are preparing to address a suspected leaking buried propane tank at 314 South 7th, a property near Avenue D Park that staff labeled a public safety hazard.
Bearden described two remediation options: fully empty and excavate the approximately 222‑gallon underground tank or remove the liquid and render the tank inert by filling it with sand if valves can be removed. Because the tank is buried roughly six feet deep, removal would require excavation adjacent to existing structures and a truck to recover liquid propane. If the team elects flaring, the plan is to move the flaring operation toward an adjacent empty lot to minimize risk to structures; state spacing rules require at least 25 feet from structures and highways during flaring operations, which staff said they will observe.
Staff told the commission the homeowner initially could not afford excavation; the contractor and local partners have offered to donate labor and the fire department said it would donate the burn permit and provide a truck and fire‑standby during flaring. The contractor estimated two to three hours for liquid removal and two to three hours for flaring, and asked the commission to approve a short, day‑long street closure on Seventh Street so a 5,000‑gallon bobtail truck can access the site safely.
Commissioners asked about scheduling to minimize impacts on school hours and suggested using weekend or off‑peak hours if possible. Staff said permits will be required, and staff will coordinate public notice and traffic control. No formal resolution was required; staff and the contractor will proceed after completing required permits and scheduling the work to minimize risk to students and neighbors.
"It is a public danger," the contractor said, noting the property owner's inability to fund removal and the donors assisting with the work.
