By Scott Sullivan
Editor
The heat is on again for some 5,200 local homes and businesses after a natural gas line was ruptured April 9 southeast of Fennville.
Michigan Gas Utilities, which owns the line, and TC Energy, which operates it, were joined by utility crews from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois to help shut down service at affected properties, repair the line, then restore gas going door-to-door starting Saturday morning and continuing into Monday. Response tags were left on doors where nobody was home. Temperatures dipped nights into the 20°s during that time.
The communities rallied with local governments, Allegan County Emergency Services, media outlets and the Saugatuck-Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau spreading word online, safety steps and progress updates throughout the weekend.
Third Coast Community Church, with American Red Cross assistance, set up an emergency shelter Friday night into Saturday offering warmth, hot water and beverages, restrooms, a place to stay and more.
Saugatuck and Fennville fire department crews served gas workers free breakfast Sunday morning.
The pipe was reportedly damaged by Michigan Department of Natural Resources excavation crews working to restore wetlands in the Allegan State Game Area southeast of 122nd Avenue and 57th Street.
By Monday natural gas was restored to almost all local shops and homes.