Hartford Police Lt. Vail reports to Woodstock Early Bird that some 200 propane and heating fuel tanks released from the area of West Woodstock today by the flooding Ottauquechee River have now gotten stuck and piled up in Quechee Gorge.
As a result of propane leaks into the air and for public safety, the area around Quechee Gorge was shut down and evacuations ordered.
Vail said they will do the best they can to mitigate any danger from the situation, but right now the tanks are stuck as the flood waters continue to rage through the small area often referred to as Vermont’s “Little Grand Canyon”.
Lt. Vail also reports the Quechee Bridge in Quechee Village is still partially standing although the entire road and about a third of the bridge on the Quechee Village side has been washed away. The real estate emporium building has also been washed away and the Simon Pearce glass-blowing, restaurant and store has been severely flooded and compromised.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by J Bragdon on August 28, 2011 at 22:05
We were across from the rec center late this afternoon when a couple came running across the highway to our car asking us to call 911 – saying propane tanks were exploding a bit further to the west and that the area should be evacuated asap. We reported this to 911 right away. Does anyone know what this was about and/or what happened?
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on August 28, 2011 at 22:13
Jay i think we should keep too much hearsay out of comments….the tanks were defintely off gassiing all over the place as you could detect in the air. Emergency personnel drove off to investigate one such reported event but those tanks were moving way too fast for anything to be done about them. Although Woodstock officials could have ordered an evacuation there was no place to go with our bridges washing out. If the tanks had been stnading or stuck as they are now in quechee gorge thats a far more serious situation. One High Street resident on her own did decide to go back in the house to avoid inhaling any more fumes. That seemed a sensible thing to do.
Now the shorter answer beyond what we witnessed…no police or fire personnel reported anything beyond whar we saw.
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Posted by Tambrey on August 28, 2011 at 22:34
My parents are staying the the Quechee Gorge Motel and said the large propane tank that was most likely to cause a problem was removed safely earlier today.
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Posted by J Bragdon on August 28, 2011 at 22:31
It’s Jeanne, not Jay. And certainly with no intent of spreading rumors. The couple we encountered seemed genuinely alarmed so we were wondering what happened. Thank you again, Julia, for the reporting.
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on August 28, 2011 at 22:39
Tmabrey that’s really good news! You are such an awesome Early Bird reporter….Jeanne sorry to misidentify you. I also met that same couple so I heard the same report. Thanks for asking about it!
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on August 28, 2011 at 23:02
From an emergency manager friend not associated with this incident whose job it is to know about this stuff:
Part of the problem with propane:
* Specific gravity of vapor (air=1) at 60 degrees F 1.50
so it can collect in low points (probably river bottoms and gorges, basements, holes in the ground…anywhere you are smelling it ). Eventually it will “flow” down river and dissipate to the point where the concentration won’t support combustion. The best thing is to have the areas evacuated.
* NFPA 58, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, 1998 Edition, Table B-1.2 copied from NPGA Propane Fact Sheet
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Posted by Steven Thomas on August 28, 2011 at 23:13
We are in Baltimore on business (having experienced the earthquake and Irene yesterday) hoping to be able to get home to Woodstock tomorrow. I was impressed the other day with your reporting on the Woodstock town crew doing preventative work clearing culverts and drains. I remember years ago in a previous flood that Leonard’s Gas & Electric had used similar foresight to lash together their propane tanks and secure them on the property. One wonders what Dead River was doing in the days preceding Irene. 200 propane tanks smashing into bridges, leaking propane and ending up in the Quechee Gorge is an utter tragedy and one wonders if it could have been prevented with a little planning…
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on August 28, 2011 at 23:23
Yes one wonders what kind of prep was or wasnt considered. WEB
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Posted by Toni Richie on August 28, 2011 at 23:42
11:30 PM I just returned from Quechee where the emergency worker who was guarding the covered bridge told us the bridge was still standing, although the road was washed out on both sides. I could see the Emporium Building and it was still standing tall, although the lowest level was damaged (a portion of one exterior wall torn away).
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Posted by Thor Iverson on August 29, 2011 at 00:25
Julie, I want to thank you so much for your diligent reportage. I’m a Quechee owner away from the deluge, theoretically returning tomorrow (we’ll see), and you are the only source for updates. Please keep up the great work, and I do hope your own property suffers as little as possible.
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Posted by Lora wise on August 29, 2011 at 06:34
Would love to hear about any need for volunteers or needs of people in the emergency shelter today…I feel for those in town who have lost home, job, or both.
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Posted by Lora Gerard Wise on August 29, 2011 at 07:28
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.717017883256.2159808.512106&l=a7a1591114&type=1
This should take folks to a public facebook album I created with several photos from yesterday (including White Cottage/Farmer’s Market, Stone Theater, Rt 4). Non-facebook users should be able to see it without logging in/signing up.
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Posted by Dianne on August 29, 2011 at 08:06
Any idea how the road to WRJ (route 4 east) is? ….and I am curious/concerned about the people who were brought to the elementary school. A few of us went over there and offered sleeping bags, pillows etc….but it was unclear to the 1 staff person what the plans were for the night….at least there was a dry place with a generator.
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