Car Crash Ruptures Gas Main and Evacuates 60 People From Their Home
Sep 7, 2011
Keene, NH (Law Firm Newswire) September 6, 2011 – Rarely do accidents of this magnitude happen. A drunk driver crashed into a gas main, and the area had to be evacuated.
“This accident is one of the worst I have run across in terms of fallout for the potential victims,” indicated Charlie Donahue, a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer located in Keene. “Imagine a drunk driver careening into a wall and severing a gas main near the town’s center. It is quite dramatic for the police, fire crews and other people fleeing the scene.”
More than 60 people were told to evacuate the area as fire crews had to perform emergency repairs to stop the leaking gas, which was heard spewing out of the pipes from quite a distance away. The crew used tape to secure the ends until the local utilities company could professionally repair the damage.
The evacuated people were sent to a hotel just outside the exclusion zone and were welcomed into the lounge area while they waited for the all-clear signal to return home. That happened in under an hour, but beforehand everyone was fearful of a potential explosion.
“How did this whole scenario happen?” Donahue wondered. “Thanks to a drunk driver who missed a turn because he was traveling too fast, more than 60 people and their children were booted out of their homes. The 28-year-old man was subsequently charged with drunk driving and will have his day in court. His one saving grace in this event is that no one was hurt as a result of the accident, either directly or indirectly. There certainly was the potential for either to happen had the accident resulted in a fire.”
Would the drunk driver have been held responsible for any injuries incurred? Yes. He negligently chose to drive while under the influence. It is disturbing and profoundly disappointing that people still drink and drive, despite knowing how dangerous it is. By getting into a vehicle without all of one’s faculties on full alert increases the chance that someone might be hurt or killed. Whether it is the drunk driver or innocent victims whose life could change in an instant is a harsh reality.
“I have seen a lot of drunk driving cases, talked to many victims, and know that the consequences of this kind of decision is deep and long lasting,” said Donahue. “Do not drink and drive. You will not be able to live with the horrendous knowledge that someone was killed because of an extra beer. No more deaths and serious injuries; please be responsible. Someone has to be.”
To learn more about New Hampshire personal injury attorney Charlie Donahue, visit http://www.donahuelawfirm.com.
Donahue Law Firm
143 West St.
Keene, NH 03431
Call: (603) 357-2363
Toll Free: (800) 498-4554
