I-94 lanes reopen in Northwest Indiana after gas leak causes major gridlock
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A major gas leak in northwest Indiana forced officials to shut down a stretch of Interstate 94 for several hours causing major gridlock on Tuesday afternoon.
The Portage Fire Department responded to the gas leak in the Ameriplex complex north of I-94, near a Bass Pro Shops store, around midday. The site was on a plot of land along Daniel Burnham Drive, which runs parallel to I-94.
By around 6:20 p.m., Indiana State Police said all lanes both east and westbound on the interstate were being reopened.
The leak happened after a contractor struck a pipe in the area while doing some underground digging, Indiana state police said.
Officials shared video of the gas leak, showing a visible cloud of gas rising into the air from a damaged underground gas line. Still, NIPSCO said the area remained safe despite the leak.
I-94 was closed in both directions between Portage and Burns Harbor for multiple hours while NIPSCO crews checked the area for gas readings. People were being urged to avoid the area.
NIPSCO officials said they had crews and supervisors on the site to make the necessary repairs. Portage Mayor Austin Bonta said in a Facebook post that the gas release was due to a plastic pipe that NIPSCO can fix. Indiana state police had to escort a truck with the necessary part through traffic.
