CARLOS, Minn. (KFGO) – Power remains out on Friday morning for hundreds of people in central Minnesota. Power and natural gas had to be shut off on Thursday after a vehicle crashed into an above-ground natural gas regulator station in the Carlos and Alexandria areas.
CenterPoint Energy crews are restoring natural gas service to approximately 525 customers. As of Thursday night, service had been restored to 300 customers.
Repairs to the regulator station were completed Thursday and more than 60 technicians are in the process of relighting appliances at each impacted customer location.
To restore service, technicians go door-to-door to perform a necessary safety check prior to conducting relights on each natural gas appliance in a customer’s home or business.
An adult 18 or older must be at the location when a technician arrives. All technicians and contractors wear ID badges and show them on request.
CenterPoint Energy team members will remain at the warming center at Carlos City Hall (109 First Street West) until all impacted customers have been safely relit and will continue providing space heaters to affected customers as needed. Approximately 250 space heaters have been distributed to the community.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says the crash around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4 caused a “very significant” leak and gas and power were shut off as a precaution. Deputies believe the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash, 42-year-old Samantha Porter, may have been under the influence of alcohol. She was arrested.
As of Friday morning, County Roads 42 and 120 are back open.
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