Car Crash Causes Gas Leak

According to CBSDFW, a car crash in Fort Worth on Country Club Lane ended up causing a gas leak that persisted for two hours.

A car crashed into a light pole, and then struck an above-ground gas valve, according to the report. The gas valve leaked for two hours until the crew was able to come out and fix it.
Police gave little information about the accident, its causes or whether anyone was hurt in the crash. The accident does demonstrate, however, that there are oftentimes very dangerous situations that occur after a car accident, some of them as dangerous as the accident itself.

Utility damage.

The news is full of stories of cars slamming into light poles, power poles, gas lines and fire hydrants. Striking any of these can create a very dangerous situation.
Among the most dangerous of these situations are downed power lines. One of the reflexes you may have to avoid is wanting to get out of your vehicle if a power line falls across it after an accident. The right way to handle this is to remain in the vehicle until help arrives. Unless you give it a more convenient path, the electricity from the power line is going to travel through your vehicle and into the ground. If you happen to provide a more direct route to the ground, that electricity is going to travel through you. In the event that you come upon a downed power line after a car accident, keep at least two power pole lengths between you and the power line. Do not approach a downed power line under any circumstances.
The general rule with a gas leak is to get out of the area as soon as possible. If the gas leak is outdoors, the situation is much better than if the gas is leaking into an enclosed space. If you smell or hear gas rushing out of a line, stay well away.
Waterlines are more of a driving hazard than anything else. If you see water on the road, exercise caution and be aware that there may be an accident ahead that has compromised the fire hydrant or other form of access to the water mains.

Getting help.

Contacting 911 is always the best option in these situations, as they will route the information to the appropriate people. Texas auto wreck lawyers can help you pursue compensation if somebody negligently causes you to be involved in a car crash.