LEXINGTON, Mo. — A gas line break forced evacuations Thursday night in the Indian Hills subdivision in Lexington, Missouri.
The leak left residents shaken just five months after a similar incident led to a deadly home explosion that killed a 5-year-old child and severely injured two others.
Residents returned home to find notices on their doors and utility markers scattered throughout the neighborhood.
Brenda Dady lives near the break.
“Yeah, it was a little scary, you know," Dady said. "But we’re safe now.”
The incident brought back painful memories from April when a fiber optic company working in the area hit a gas line.
Three hours later, a home at 19th and Jefferson exploded.
"It's getting pretty sad around here," said Mark Swafford, Lexington resident. "Things are happening, and nobody seems to care in city hall. As long as they get that fiber optic in there, that's all that matters."
Swafford, who also lives near the break, said he has called the city about previous repair concerns, but without results.
"They don't want to answer. They don't want to do nothing," Swafford said. "Today, I called on this, she's in a meeting, which I get. Call me when you get done. 'OK. we'll tell her.'
"I ain't got a call yet," he said.
Residents said crews have been working in the area for the past two weeks with 10 to 15 people on site at a time.
"I think that it's a risk, cause that's what, the second one they hit and one was a tragedy," said Swafford. "I think they should just stop."
It’s a small community where everyone knows each other and children and dogs play, but the memory of the tragedy lingers.
"I hope everybody's safe," Dady said. "I hope the houses are still standing. Cause you know that goes through your mind after what happened."
Crews completed repairs, but the community is still recovering.
"You see the little kid's memorial there, on Franklin there," said Swafford. "So it always reminds you of what happened."
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