Contractor: Workers pierced gas line because homeowner removed sidewalk markings

ABC-7 found itself in the middle of a gas line break dispute in a West Side neighborhood, where AT&T has hired contractors to install high speed fiber optic cable.

The gas line break happened Monday in front of a home in the 1000 block of Granite Trail Court. Residents in all eleven homes on the culdesac were asked to evacuate for several hours.

The contractor doing the work for AT&T — The Morelia Group — blamed residents for the break. Meanwhile, the owners of the home told ABC-7 they thought the work in front of their house had already been completed.

“They told us a gas line had been busted,” said Irene Cadena, one of many residents inconvenienced by the gas line break Monday afternoon. “I have very much respect for electricity, gas and all that.”

The Operations Manager for The Morelia Group told ABC-7 the owners of a home at 1009 Granite Trail Court used a spray wash to remove markings from the pavement in front of their home, leaving the workers digging blindly and striking the gas line.

“They dug holes and they gave us like almost no notice at all,” said retired Lt. Col. Mark Levitt, who owns the home where the gas line break occurred. “Then miraculously the holes were filled up, the orange mesh was gone and there was no communication so one would assume they were done.”

He admitted to trying to remove the markings, used to identify gas and electric lines, after he thought the work had been completed.

“We had no indication,” Levitt said. “Nobody let us know that, hold in place, like we do in the military, somebody else will come and finish the job.”

Buddy Calame with The Morelia Group sent ABC-7 this email: “It’s very important that all homeowners be aware of the danger and legal implications of removing paint marking from the easement.”

He went on to state “The homeowner is going to be liable for a very costly repair.”

The homeowner disagrees.

“If they had any questions, one would think they would stop and redo that just to make sure they would be in the same line,” Levitt said. “I was raised in the military, 20 years, I know how to follow directions. In the absence of directions one takes the liberty of taking care of their property, which I thought i was doing.”

If you are doing any digging, you’re urged to call 811 first.

ABC-7 reached out to AT&T for comment, but they referred the station to Texas Gas. Texas Gas referred ABC-7 to Texas 811, which did not return calls.