Pardon the interruption! A landscaper is replacing our crumbling driveway. During excavation, he hit a forgotten gas line.

It was quite dramatic. I was blogging when a fireman knocked on our door and asked us to leave the house. I quickly published yesterday’s blog and left. Our street was blocked off for about an hour. Police, firetrucks, the landscape crew, neighbors and Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) came to inspect the hissing gas line. It had the potential for a party if it weren’t for all that pesky leaking gas.

Afterward, I talked to the BGE guy. He says the culprit is the lamppost. Like all of Columbia, MD back 40 years ago, our house had a gaslight in front of our house. We converted it to electricity to stop the monthly charge; electrifying the lamp on a timer was much more fuel-efficient and cheaper. The gas was turned off at the post. Little did we know, the line to the post was still active. Unfortunately, when you call Miss Utility, they have no way of knowing where the gas line to the lamppost is or the condition of it. None of those old lamppost lines are traceable.

Since Columbia has thousands of these shutoff gas lampposts, I asked the BGE guy how often this happens. He said, “A lot.” I asked, “Like once a week?” He shook his head, “Two or 3 times a day.” Crazy….

Jeff, our landscaper of DJA was a bit miffed. He said in his 30 years of landscaping, he has never hit a gas line and only 1 water line.

That evening, to celebrate my house not blowing up, I cracked open a Christmas gift from Hopnose – Brookeville Farm Brewery Farm Stout, Lost Barrels: Lot #14. It is a pleasant sipping beer. Bourbon is the star of this one with stout flavors in a supporting role. Thanks, Hopnose!

Cheers!

Warren