UPDATE: Shelter Set Up, Repairs Ongoing in Allegan Co. Natural Gas Line Break

FENNVILLE, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Apr. 11, 2025) – As efforts to restore natural gas service to around 5,200 Michigan Gas Utilities customers in the Fennville, Saugatuck and Douglas areas enters its second full day, an emergency shelter opened overnight.

The Emergency Management Department of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office set up such provisions at Third Coast Community Church. This came after utility crews, augmented by workers from Wisconsin and Minnesota, went house-to-house and business-to-business in shutting off service at their meters on Thursday.

It all started around 2:40 on Wednesday afternoon when a “major gas line leak” was reported in the area of 57th Street and 122nd Avenue, Roads were blocked off in the area, while it took crews about six hours to seal off the leak and shut off all natural gas that had been going into the damaged transmission line. It is believed that a third party, not affiliated with Michigan Gas Utilities or pipeline operator TC Energy, caused the damage to the line, although the circumstances that led to the break were not disclosed.

Utility officials now say that repairs to the damaged line should be complete on Friday, and affected customers are asked to wait until crews return to their home or business to personally restore service and relight all natural gas appliances.