Midland experienced significant flooding after more than four inches of rain in recent days, leading to an incident involving a city trash truck. The truck became stuck in mud in an alley between Pleasant Drive and Brookdale Drive. A gas line operated by Atmos Energy ruptured in the same area, which may have been caused by the truck, according to local emergency response crews.
Emergency crews, including the Midland Fire Department, Midland Police Department, and numerous Atmos Energy teams responded to the scene. The strong smell of natural gas filled the air as responders worked to lift the truck from the mud.
"We believe the trash truck caused a minor line break when it sank in the washout,” said Andrea Goodson, a representative from Atmos Energy, during an interview with Midland Times. “We will know more shortly but our crews and Midland Fire Department are on site keeping everyone safe!"
Midland has faced several challenges due to the recent heavy rainfall, with many areas experiencing flooding and road closures. More rain is expected in the forecast for the Permian Basin.
