State Road 43 shut down for gas pocket

CHALMERS, Ind. (WLFI) - A stretch of State Road 43 is closed in White County, just north of Chalmers.

White County Emergency Management says Indiana Department of Transportation workers hit a gas pocket around 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.

Monticello Subdistrict Manager, John McIntier, says a crew was working to replace a bridge when they hit the gas pocket about 105 feet down.

The crew is working to cap off the gas, but McIntire says it creates a dangerous situation.

"When you hit natural gas it could be a lot of things, explosion, stuff like that," he said. "To the motoring public, lots of safety issues."

The highway is is closed between State Road 18 and U.S. 24.

A detour is set up through Monticello.

The road could be re-opened as early as later Tuesday night.