U.P. Breaking News Bulletin 2:40 p.m. ET Monday 12-26-16 – Lots of new info folks on the 2016 L’Anse Christmas Heat Crisis – driver fell asleep, was charged, – and SEMCO and Baraga County residents give each other much deserved love
SEMCO workers get as much as they gave from thankful Yoopers, who left the downstate folks impressed with northern hospitality L’Anse and Baraga style
Driver Harley Wakeham of Chassell was ticketed for careless driving – lucky to be alive – as explosion was quick, sheriff says
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director – 1-906-273-2433
(L’Anse, MI) – Dozens of SEMCO employees who traveled from downstate to help warm and relight the Christmas celebration in a small Upper Peninsula community – found love expressed the Yooper way – as all involved tried to cope with the unexpected 2016 L’Anse Christmas Heat Crisis.
Meanwhile the driver – 18-year-old Harley Wakeham of Chassell – charged with causing the wreck allegedly falling asleep at the wheel – and is lucky to have received only minor injuries because the natural gas lines exploded instantly – sending flames 60 feet or high into the air.
The three-day crisis was effectively done in a day and a half – and began about 3:40 a.m. on Friday morning, Dec. 23, 2016 when a crashed into a vital substation causing an explosion and huge flames to shoot up into the cold Upper Peninsula morning. The fire was videotaped by several residents – three of which have shared their videos and photos with U.P. Breaking News. They are Trevor Uren, Bob Gustafson and Jerry Fish, Jr.
The tiny Lake Superior community of L’Anse, Michigan didn’t have to wait long for more fun as an overnight storm left ice in its wake in the western U.P. with power outages and hundreds of big downed trees.
As of 1:30 p.m. today, less than 10 homes out of 1,200 customers were not turned back on and only because the occupants are apparently out of town for the holidays, said Baraga County Sheriff Rick Johnson.
Wakeham was northbound – headed toward Chassell – when his 2003 Pontiac Grand Am left the road and crashed into natural gas piping and a substation, Sheriff Johnson said.
Wakeham managed to get himself out of the burning car very quickly, Sheriff Johnson said.
The flames shot “pretty high” into the air, the sheriff said, adding he was told by deputies that flames “were shooting 60 feet high.”
Wakeham “apparently fell asleep” at the wheel and was ticketed for “careless driving,” Sheriff Johnson said.
Wakeham is “very lucky” to be alive, as the car was quickly engulfed.
The Baraga High School was opened as a warming center, but was not needed because the relatively mild temperatures reached the mid to upper 30s.
Others assisting with the crisis:
American Red Cross
Western Upper Peninsula Health Department
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC)
Region 8 Healthcare Coalition
Baraga County Emergency Management
Baraga County Sheriff’s Department
Michigan State Police
L’Anse Fire Department
Baraga Area Schools
EAGLE Radio
We heard local radio stations did a great job keeping the public up to date, since the newspapers were not printing for holiday
Michigan State Police and generators from private companies in Marquette, MI apparently assisted a local nursing home until heat returned.
Its not clear if Wakeham will have to pay for a portion of the damages – and a total bill has not been tallied.
Wakeham sought his own medical treatment – and “did not” flee the scene, as witnesses first indicated.
“It was instant – it happened very quickly,” said Baraga County Sheriff Rick Johnson. “The car burned in the fire.”
Speed and alcohol were not a factor in the crash and the roads were clear and dry, Sheriff Johnson said.
The Baraga County Sheriff’s department was assisted by the KBIC Tribal Police – and the L’Anse Fire Department put out the flames that caused U.S.-41 to be closed for about an hour.
The sheriff said all the agencies worked together closely and he agreed that SEMCO “pulled out all the stops.”
That’s just what happened.
“We mobilized several crews from downstate,” said Timothy Lubbers, SEMCO Director of Business Development.
“I found out early this morning that all of our crews made it back to their homes safely” most in time to spend a small portion of Christmas with their eagerly waiting families, said Timothy Lubbers, SEMCO Director of Business Development.
Officials from emergency management, and many other sources will tally up the crisis bills in the near future, but the number one goal was achieved.
“We’ll get the costs of everything later – our goal was – everyone back on – and everybody safe,” Lubber said.
As impressed as L’Anse residents were with the courtesy and quick action of SEMCO employees, these folks traveled back to their homes with tales of kind, generous Yoopers – who brought soup, beverages, Christmas cookies and baked goods – to where the SEMCO crews were gathered for quick response.
30-year SEMCO employee Steve Mudd says the L’Anse trip was one of his best:
“We’ve had over 45 people from the Lower Peninsula” traveled on Friday, Christmas Eve morning 2016 to the Upper Peninsula to help re-light the 1,200 homes of L’Anse, MI. For some of the SEMCO employees responding to the emergency “it took eight or 10 hours to get there” to L’Anse.
In addition SEMCO had “10 to 15 (employees) already in the Upper Peninsula that we sent there to manage” the early repairs and help re-lighting of homes. “We had to go individually and shut down everyone” and make repairs to the pipes, electronics and other destroyed items at the substation that went up in flames Lubbers said.
“By the time the crews from downstate got up there we were ready to re-pressurize the system and then relight everyone” in the village of L’Anse, that is nestled on the east side of the bottom of the Keweenaw Bay on the shores of Lake Superior.
“The vehicle actually went through our fence” and struck the SEMCO “city gate station” – basically a substation small building with electronics and pipes, he said. The vehicle hit “some piping” where SEMCO brings in gas from other sources.
The piping involves the location where SEMCO “that we take gas from the interstate pipeline and then we measure and regulate it down to a lower pressure and distribute it to customers – and in this case it is the community of L’Anse,” Lubbers said. The car “went through our fence at the city gate station – knocked off some gas – and there was flowing gas,” Lubbers said. “I do not know what ignited the gas.”
Then, once emergency officials responded to the accident – U.S. 41 was closed down for more than an hour – as crews “shut off the gas.” The SEMCO employees “are from different parts of Michigan” including “The Port Huron and Chesterfield areas, and the Battle Creek and Niles areas, and the Holland area.”
All these employees were able to drive back across the Mackinac Bridge heading south – to be with their families downstate late Christmas Day- and all arrived safely home.
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Previous Stories:
URGENT URGENT URGENT U.P. Breaking News Bulletin:
It’s Over – L’Anse, MI Crisis Ends Christmas Day 2016 – U.P. Breaking News Bulletin – Christmas Day 2016 – 1:45 a.m. ET – L’Anse, MI thankful 12-25-16 (Still more to wrap this up, including the cost of the crisis – but residents are thankful and basking in Glow of Gratefulness and Warmth):
2016 L’Anse Christmas Heating Crisis Ends
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director – 1-906-273-2433
(L’Anse, MI) – The heat is back on in L’Anse, Michigan even before the end of Day Two of the 2016 L’Anse Christmas Heating Crisis.
Official Day Three of the Crisis would be 3 a.m. Christmas Day. But it appears except for a handful of homes, everyone has been re-lit thanks to round the clock love, attention and care of natural gas workers from around the state.
Thank you to SEMCO and their employees,” said L’Anse resident Renee Eliason. “Some of these workers came from Niles, MI.”
“I know they are getting paid and all – but the 2 guys who came to my house – pretty close to 2 a.m. were nice, friendly and got the job done,” Eliason said on Facebook. “Thank goodness we do not have sub zero temps!!”
Look at other tributes and thank you that were posted on the SEMCO Facebook page by L’Anse residents:
https://www.facebook.com/SEMCO.Energy.Gas.Company
Thank you to those of you who are out working hard to get the gas going again. I know there are places you would rather be.
Happy holidays to you all.
Scott Smith Great job to all the employees that went Merry Christmas hope you make it home safe too your family’s !!
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L’Anse resident Renee Eliason:
Merry Christmas to all–I wish you all Love, Peace and Harmony!! If we could all give our love away like small children – Oh my what a wonderful world this would be!! If you have a person in your life who could use a call today — please give them a call and say hello — a real call not an email Show the LOVE!!
God’s Peace my family and friends!!
We want to hear your tales – and we found a perfect wagging tale to start with:
Apparently one of those helping in L’Anse did not get to spent his birthday at home with his dog:
Rene Kinnunen posted on near Ishpeming ·
Happy 27th birthday to my favorite son❤️. Don’t know if we’ll even get to see him today as he’s working in Lanse because of the gas issue. Love you!!
😘 — with Andrew Kinnunen.
A friend reacted to the photo:
Michelle N Todd Prillwitz Happy Birthday Andrew. Thank you for working hard on your special day to help keep the customers in L’anse warm. Hope some grateful customers share a baked good with you
HEROES TO MANY TO NAME – First thank you to the dozens of natural gas employees who left their families downstate and across the U.P. to help the village of L’Anse get through this unexpected crisis. Others include (Please tell us those who helped you):
L’Anse Fire Department, L’Anse Area Schools, The Baraga County Sheriff’s department Baraga County Emergency Management officials, Michigan State Police from many posts, countless residents and groups including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community – as warmth abound despite what happened:
***UPDATE ON SPACE HEATERS***
Another supply of heaters will be available for pick up at the Baraga School beginning at 9 pm tonight. You can call the command center to check availability before going there – the phone number is 353-6664.
***UPDATE***
We have run out of space heaters. We are working on getting more but don’t have a timeframe as to when. We sincerely apologize. The warming shelter at the Baraga School is open to everyone, has cots available as well as food.
***UPDATE***
The Tribe has a limited number of hotel rooms available at their Ojibwa Resort Hotel in Baraga (casino hotel). Priority is extended to KB elders and KB households with children who don’t have alternate accommodations for tonight. Those needing help can pickup a voucher at the Zeba Hall between 4 pm and 6 pm today.Also, if anyone needs transportation to the warming center in Baraga, please call 353-6664 and it’ll be arranged for you. The Baraga Area Schools Facebook page and website have updates on the situation as well.
***UPDATE***
The Tribe will have space heaters available for KBIC elderly members and households with children first and any remaining units will be provided to residents of the KBIC Housing. The heaters will be available for pick up at the Zeba Hall beginning at 4 pm until 6 pm today. One heater per home will be available. If there are any members with special needs, please contact Larry Denomie – (906) 201-0631. We will do our best to assist with the resources we have available.
***NOTICE***
Residents affected by the shut down of Natural Gas in the L’Anse area can utilize the Baraga Area Schools as a warming center. We are also working on additional locations in the event they are needed. The duration of the situation is unknown at this time. Check back regularly for updates.
***UPDATE***
There are approximately 1200 metered homes in the L’Anse, Skanee, and Bovine area affected by the situation.
Residents affected should ensure their water supply doesn’t freeze by letting their faucet drizzle water the size of a pencil tip. Electric space heaters are a good source of heat also- please use them safely.
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Previous stories:
URGENT URGENT URGENT – U.P. Breaking News Bulletin – Christmas Day 2016 – 1 a.m. ET – L’Anse, MI is hot this morning 12-25-16:
2016 L’Anse Christmas Heating Crisis is all but over – thanks to dedication of those who care
NATURAL GAS WORKERS HAVE RESTORED HEAT TO NEARLY ALL OF L’ANSE, MI: GAS WORKERS ON STREETS OF L’ANSE, MI – ALL NIGHT -ALL DAY – AND ALL NIGHT – NEED YOU TO CALL
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director – 1-906-273-2433
The village of L’Anse, Michigan never lost its warm spirit of giving, but residents are thrilled and impressed to have heat for Christmas – or any day.
SEMCO reports there are only a handful of homes remain without natural gas service.
If your home has not been turned back on – crews “are standing by” and all you have to do is call.
Please folks let us know your L’Anse story and send photos.
L’Anse Outage Update 12/24/2016 7:30pm
SEMCO crews worked through Friday night and Saturday to re-establish customer gas service. As of 7 p.m. Christmas Eve, all but approximately 86 customers have been restored. SEMCO is continuing attempt contacting these homeowners in order to gain access to appliances inside the home and re-establish service. Customers without service are encouraged to call 1-800-624-2019. Crews are standing by.SEMCO wishes to extend its appreciation to its customers and the community for the support, encouragement and patience exhibited to SEMCO’s crews during the repairs and re-establishment of service to its customers.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
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L’Anse Outage Update 12/24/2016 3:45pm
Service has been restored to approximately 950 customers affected by the natural gas outage in L’Anse, Michigan. SEMCO crews continue to make progress and are working hard to get all service restored to the approximately 1,200 customers affected.
Click here to view a map of the affected areaL’Anse Outage Update 12/24/2016 12:15pm
Service has been restored to over 700 customers affected by the natural gas outage in L’Anse, Michigan. This is great news and SEMCO crews continue to go door to door to finish the job.
SEMCO crews have attempted to restore service to an additional 43 homes, but no one was available
DAY TWO STARTS ON GOOD NOTE – Christmas Eve 2016
SEMCO and other natural gas workers spotted early today in downtown L’Anse, MI working hard – photo by Meghan Maki near L’Anse
“Four natural gas workers on Main street. They are working so hard to help our community”
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director – 1-906-273-2433
**Editors note – tell the kids that Santa Claus is making sure NORAD guides his sleigh low and slow over Baraga County and surrounding areas to make sure all the nice children of L’Anse, MI and the U.P. are visited after they are asleep tonight – and constant updates on the children’s locations are being received by Rudolph.
(L’Anse, MI) – Officially into the second day of the 2016 L’Anse Christmas Heating Crisis – there is good news on many fronts.
A little more than 22 percent of the L’Anse homes have had natural gas restored by 6 a.m. At least 340 homes out of 1,500 homes had natural gas by 5:45 a.m. – thus heat and gas for cooking.
L’Anse residents have been impressed with the dedication of the natural gas workers – and others involved in returning the community to normal.
SEMCO workers knocked on my sister’s door at 2:30 this morning to put her heat back on. They have been working round the clock!,” said Leona Rowe today.
“They deserve much credit and praise for this, Rowe said.
“They are working so hard to help our community,” Maki said.
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New astonishing video of the Great L’Anse explosion
Video by Bob Gustafson 5:30 a.m. Day One – The Explosion: In L’Anse near Celotex @ 4:00 AM this morning. Guy drove off road and hit pipes at nat gas substation. He escaped but car was incinerated.
Day Two: 5:45 a.m. SEMCO .pdf:
http://www.semcoenergygas.com/FileStorage/L’Anse%20AOI.pdf
11:45 p.m. Day One – SEMCO outage Map
Natural Gas main shoots up into nighttime sky near L’Anse, MI following vehicle crash
Above Photo and video by Trevor Uren
Below is Exclusive Video by Jerry Fish, Jr.
https://www.facebook.com/UpperPeninsulaBreakingNews/messages/?threadid=609455537×tamp=1482494396353
U.S.-41 following fiery crash and blaze reported just east of L’Anse, MI
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The incident began about 4 a.m. on Fri, Dec. 23, 2016 – when the driver of a car lost control – possibly fell asleep – and ran off U.S.-41 and struck a major natural gas main that exploded.
Baraga County Emergency management officials and the county board are expected to seek disaster funding from the state and federal government and are preparing a declaration to submit to Lansing, MI.
A warming Center was set up at the L’Anse Area High school.
Other reported warming centers include the Ojibwa Community College and the Big Bucks Bingo Hall.
The crisis is expected to cost into the millions for repairs and other assets devoted to keeping people safe. A local nursing facility has received extra special attention to make sure residents are comfortable and fed. The Baraga Memorial Hospital never had issue as it operates off oil. Baraga County Emergency Operations found its main HQ without natural gas.
U.P. Breaking News has been receiving reports through the night from our readers that gas and heat has been restored to some of those closest to the disaster 0- as it began with that crash – that caused a two-hour closure of U.S.-Highway 41 west of the Falls River Bridge.
Baraga County Emergency Management
Jeffrey Hubbard, Emergency Manager
940 US Hwy 41
L’Anse, MI 49946
Phone: (906) 524-6100 Ext. 695
911 Director
Bob Larson
2 S. Main Street
L’Anse, MI
Phone: (906) 524-6100 Ext. 312
http://www.baragacounty.org/government/emergency-management/
To follow the crisis on SEMCO:
L’Anse Outage Update 12/24/2016 5:45am
Service has been restored to approximately 340 customers.
Scroll down to see SEMCOS Updates and links – or go to their website:
http://www.semcoenergygas.com/main/Default
\SEMCO official natural gas outage map as of 11:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016
http://www.semcoenergygas.com/FileStorage/L’Anse%20AOI.pdf
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In addition to the process of manually shutting off the gas to each individual home and business, SEMCO crews are also working to repair the damage caused by the accident at SEMCO’s city gate station.
In addition to SEMCO employees located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, SEMCO employees from across Michigan are on their way to L’Anse to assist with service restoration.
SEMCO UPDATES:
For updates please continue to visit www.semcoenergygas.com or call 1 800 624 2019.
L’Anse Outage Update 12/24/2016 2:40am
SEMCO Crews are working diligently to restore service. Service has been restored to approximately 170 customers.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 11:15pm
The relight process to restore natural gas service has begun. Crews are going door to door to reestablish gas service and to make sure appliances are operating properly.SEMCO will continue to update its website with progress reports periodically.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 10:30pm
The first phase of restoration of gas service to L’Anse has been accomplished, SEMCO has completed the shutdown of each customer valve in the outage area. SEMCO is now in the process of restoring the pressure in the system and, once that is complete, SEMCO crews will begin going to each individual customer to reestablish service. The relight process is expected to begin within the hour.It is important to remember that someone must be home to allow SEMCO into the home so that crews can ensure appliances are operating properly. In addition, SEMCO is asking customers to turn on porch or front room lights where possible.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 6:30pm
The work to repair the SEMCO gate station in L’Anse has been completed. SEMCO crews continue to focus their attention on turning off individual meters. We would like to thank our customers in L’Anse for their understanding and patience during this challenging event.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 3:45pm
Work continues with this first phase of the service restoration process. SEMCO crews are making good progress getting to each home and business. As work continues throughout the evening, SEMCO is asking customers to turn on porch and front room lights where possible. This will not only improve visibility it will also provide additional safety.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 12:40pm
In addition to the process of manually shutting off the gas to each individual home and business, SEMCO crews are also working to repair the damage caused by the accident at SEMCO’s city gate station.In addition to SEMCO employees located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, SEMCO employees from across Michigan are on their way to L’Anse to assist with service restoration.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 10:30am
SEMCO crews have started the process of going to each home to manually shut off the gas to each home and business. This process will take several hours and we expect that it will be completed this afternoon.Emergency Management officials have established a warming center at the Baraga High School, 210 Lyons St. Baraga, MI.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
L’Anse Outage Update 12/23/2016 8:00am
Early this morning a vehicle accident in L’Anse Michigan resulted in a natural gas service disruption to SEMCO’s customers in the L’Anse area.We understand that a natural gas service disruption is challenging, particularly in the cold winter months and SEMCO crews are working to reestablish service as soon as possible.
Emergency Management officials are working to establish a warming center in the area.
Because natural gas outages are very infrequent, customers may not be aware of the process involved in restoring service. The first step is that gas company personnel will manually shut off the valve at each individual residential and commercial gas meter. The pressure in the gas system will be restored and service to all customers will be restored individually. SEMCO employees will need access to each home in order to reestablish service and ensure all natural gas equipment is operating properly. Please do not try to restore service yourself.
Click here to view a map of the affected area
other links as fyi:
Houghton/Keweenaw County Emergency Measures FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/HoKeOEM
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 