Highway 52 partially open after refinery propane leak | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
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Highway 52 partially open after refinery propane leak

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Published  March 20, 2025 7:47am CDT
Rosemount
FOX 9

Hwy 52 partially reopened after propane leak

Just one lane of northbound Highway 52 is open Thursday morning between Clayton Avenue and 145th Street East after a reported propane leak Wednesday evening. Authorities say to expect delays in the Rosemount area.

The Brief

    • One northbound lane is open on Highway 52 on Thursday morning, while both southbound lanes are fully open.
    • The closure was a response to a refinery propane leak that was reported on Wednesday.
    • The Minnesota State Patrol said to expect delays in the Rosemount area.

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (FOX 9) - Crews have partially opened Highway 52 in Rosemount after a refinery pipeline leak caused evacuations in the area on Wednesday evening. 

The Minnesota State Patrol said to expect delays in the Rosemount area. 

READ MORE: Highway 52 closed in Rosemount due to propane leak near Flint Hills Refinery

Highway 52 partially open 

Big picture view:

While the southbound lanes of Highway 52 are fully open, only one northbound lane is currently open Thursday morning.  

The lane closure is a response to a propane leak that was discovered after a brush fire near the Flint Hills Resources refinery. 

Officials say the leak is contained, but two families living nearby were evacuated from their homes as a precaution. 

Why did the highway close? 

The backstory:

Police say they responded around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday to the report of a brush fire near the Flint Hills refinery off of Highway 52. When they arrived, they found there was a propane line leak.

Officers say the area was blocked off and traffic was shut down due to the leak.

Later, authorities determined the leak was coming from a propane line owned by Flint Hills Resources. 

Officials said they isolated the line and pressure levels started dropping. 

County officials monitored air quality using a drone.

Gov. Walz's response

What they're saying:

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sent a post to social media on Wednesday night, saying "I’ve been briefed on a propane leak near the Flint Hills Refinery in Rosemount. I’m glad to hear that everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders and state agencies who responded to evacuate homes in the area and are investigating to find the exact location of the lake."

"The safety and well-being of our residents remains our foremost concern and top priority," said Fire Chief Kip Springer in a statement. "We are grateful for the cooperation and effective collaboration with Flint Hills Resources, whose expertise played a crucial role in resolving this situation promptly." 

The Source: Information shared by the Minnesota State Patrol, Rosemount city officials and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

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