UPDATE: ROADS REMAIN CLOSED NEAR LEAKING WASHINGTON CO. GAS WELL

  

A well continues to release gas and 30 to 40 people remain evacuated in north-western Washington County.

Tuesday evening, a well located on FM 390 near McNelly Road began to spew gas after the well cap blew out.

Washington County Sheriff Otto Hanak said the about 30 to 40 residents were evacuated in an area bounded by FM 1948, FM 390, Highway 290, Deer Point Road and Ganske Road.

Hazmat teams from the Bryan and College Station Fire Departments set up mobile command units 500 yards north of the well.  Wednesday evening at 6:00, the command center was relocated do to a shift in the prevailing winds to FM 1948 about halfway between FM 390 and Highway 290.

Sheriff Hanak said that the evacuation area has not changed.  He said that during the day Wednesday, his Deputies along with Washington County Constables escorted some of the evacuees back to their homes so they could retrieve medicines or feed their animals.

Hanak said that Wednesday, workers were able to shut off a diesel generator at the site, and also cut off a burner that was going near the gas leak.  He said the gas escaping from the well contains a high level of moisture, and that likely kept it from igniting.

Hanak explained that Thursday crews with Wild Well Control out of Houston would begin spraying the well and surrounding area with water and then will attempt to shut down the leak.  He said that the engineers have several different plans to shut the well in and they will start on with the least destructive.