Gas Pockets Linger Under Breckenridge's Main Street
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - Some businesses on Breckenridge's popular Main Street have reopened, but the remnants of a gas leak that shut down portions of the street since Sunday persisted into Tuesday evening.
Crews with Xcel Energy said they fixed the gas leak on Monday, but pockets of gas still are still hiding underneath the ground. Until the gas can be vented, some businesses will remain closed.
That's unfortunate news for business owner Richard Snider, whose Daylight Donuts stayed closed on Monday. While he was open Tuesday, stacks of unsold donuts sat on shelves.
"We've had a good local turnout, which is nice. But as far as the average tourist coming up here to visit from somewhere else, they see the road closed sign and they don't even know. Maybe they don't even know we're here, and there's no through traffic. So it's been a little difficult," Snider said.
One business smelled the gas on Saturday night, but the street wasn't closed until about noon on Sunday. It's unclear when the road will reopen fully because gas readings have been scattered.
"This is the first time I've seen this long of a closure," Kim Dykstra-Dillalo, a town official, said.
Xcel's Mark Stutz said crews were removing gas with vacuums that suck the gas from hidden pockets.
"Our primary goal here really is the safety of these customers," Stutz said.
Dykstra-Dillalo said it could've happened at a better time: "Yeah, it could have happened in the summer, and that would have been a better situation. But unfortunately it did happen."
Snider's donut shop, meanwhile, was in better shape than another nearby restaurant and a couple ski rental businesses, which have been closed for three days.
"At least we'll be open like this tomorrow, so we'll try and get the word out," he said.