HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) – Town officials are worried about a repeat of a gas explosion that put a machine operator’s life at risk last week.

The man was using an asphalt-grinding machine to tear up the road when he ruptured a gas line, destroying his $500,000 piece of equipment and causing the evacuation of dozens of people.

Town officials said they were told the gas line was buried two feet beneath the road surface, but it really was only six inches under the asphalt.

The state’s Public Utilities Commission is investigating the accident. Town officials also are meeting with Northern Utilities to discuss what went wrong and how to avoid another explosion.

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Information from: The Union Leader, http://www.theunionleader.com

AP-ES-01-17-05 2041EST