UPDATED 03/12/26 at 11:48 am
Restoration work continues in all five zones across North Cape Girardeau County, with the help of mutual aid utility partners Ameren, Spire, and Summit. They have restored service to around 5,800 customers—or 83 percent. Complete natural gas service restoration is expected by Thursday night for all customers who are at home to receive crews.
Here is the full message from Liberty Utilities as of Thursday, March 12th at 11:30 am:
Restoration work continues this morning, and we’re making strong progress. At this time, we have restored service to approximately 5,800 customers – or almost 83%. We’re grateful for the dedication of our Liberty crews and mutual aid partners, Ameren, Spire, and Summit, who continue working hard to safely restore service.
We anticipate complete service restoration by tonight, Thursday, March 12, for all customers who are home to receive our crews.
At this time, if you have not had your service restored and plan to be home, please contact our customer care team at 1-855-872-3242 to schedule a crew member to return.
For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
UPDATED 03/11/26 at 9:56 pm
Liberty Utility crews have restored service to about 70 percent of their customers, or 5,000 people. Teams will continue to work in all zones until around 10 pm Wednesday, and begin Thursday morning around 7:30 am.
Here is a restoration update from the company as of 6:40 pm Wednesday:
Despite challenging weather today, our crews made good progress. At this time, we have restored service to approximately 5,000 customers – or a little over 70%. Our teams will continue to work in all zones until approximately 10 p.m., and resume tomorrow morning around 7:30 a.m.
We remain on track to complete restoration by the end of the week.
If you are home tonight, please leave your porch light on. This will let our teams know it is okay to come to your home for a meter turn-on and safety inspection. If we miss you, please call the number on the door hanger our crews leave behind (if after 6 p.m., press 1 for emergency). We have teams designated to respond to these requests.
As a safety reminder, customers SHOULD NOT attempt to turn on their meter or light appliances on their own. Liberty team members and/or supporting mutual aid companies, including Ameren, Spire, and Summit, will complete a safety check and relight equipment.
Customers can help restoration efforts by:For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
- ensuring someone over 18 is present when crews arrive;
- clearing access to the gas meter if it is not already clear;
- securing pets;
- knowing where gas appliances are located (furnace, water heater, stove).
UPDATED 03/11/26 at 5:50 pm
Liberty Utilities and mutual aid crews continue to work in all five zones, with teams from across the U.S. to restore natural gas service to customers in North Cape Girardeau County. The company says it will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the day and that teams will work despite rainfall, as long as it does not pose a threat to their safety.
Here is an update from Liberty Utilities as of 11:15 a.m. Wednesday:
Liberty and mutual aid teams would like to extend a 'thank you' to our communities for the many kind and encouraging words you have shared with them.
We are monitoring weather conditions throughout the day. Our teams will continue to work, despite rainfall, as long as it does not pose a threat to their safety.
If you are not home when our teams arrive to restore your gas service, they will leave a door tag with a phone number to call and schedule a crew member to return. We have teams specifically designated to respond to these requests as they are scheduled.
To assist those impacted, Hope International has hot showers and laundry services stationed at the Jackson Fire Department, located at the intersection of S Hope and Jackson Blvd.
We deeply appreciate Hope International, Jackson Fire Department, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Cape Girardeau County Emergency Management, and the City of Jackson for collaborating on this resource and for giving us the opportunity to help support this.
For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
UPDATED 03/11/26 at 12:58 am
As of 7:10 pm Tuesday, gas service had been restored to about 3,000 Liberty Utility gas customers in North Cape Girardeau County. In addition to homes and neighborhoods, they have focused on restoring service to businesses. Utility crews estimate that they have restored service to most businesses or left a door hanger for those they couldn’t reach, and are still on track to complete restoration by the end of the week.
Here is the latest update on the restoration efforts:
We are still on track to complete restoration by the end of the week. We are monitoring weather conditions for tonight [Tuesday]. Our teams will continue to work in all zones until approximately 10 p.m., despite rainfall, as long as it does not pose a threat to their safety.
They will resume tomorrow morning [Wednesday] around 7:30 a.m. If you are home tonight, please leave your porch light on. The porch light will let our teams know it is okay to come to your home for a meter turn-on and safety inspection. If we miss you, please call the number on the door hanger our crews leave behind (if after 6 p.m., press 1 for emergency). We have teams specifically designated to respond to these requests.
Clarifying the zones:
We’ve received questions regarding the zones, and we wanted to clarify. Early in the restoration, crews focused on zones 1 and 2. This was determined by the natural flow of gas pressure through our system infrastructure. As we added crews, we had enough team members to expand into additional zones. We are now working in every zone to complete restoration as soon as possible for our customers.
For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
Find updates and information on how we restore gas: https://missouri.libertyutilities.com/jackson/gas-outage-update.html
UPDATED 03/10/26 at 5:11 pm
More than 170 utility team members have now been deployed to all five zones, with workers from Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, and New York. An additional aid partner, Summit Natural Gas, has joined in the efforts.
Due to the amount of time that it takes to run safety checks on all appliances at each location, the company says the process averages about 15 to 20 minutes per household. Service is now being restored to three communities: Jackson, Fruitland, and Gordonville.
Here is the latest update, posted at 4:45 pm on Tuesday:
We have added crews from a third mutual aid partner, Summit Natural Gas. This team has begun work in zone 5, expanding our restoration efforts to all five zones. Each zone has been broken into smaller sections, with crews assigned to each section. This is a complex effort, and our team is coordinating multiple crews across three communities. This means you may see crews come and go throughout restoration zones rather than visit each home on a street. A huge shoutout to Summit, Ameren, and Spire for their support. This brings our total restoration team to more than 170.
If you are not home when our teams arrive to restore your gas service, they will leave a door tag with a phone number to call to schedule a crew member to return. We have teams specifically designated to respond to these requests as they are scheduled.
For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization was encouraging residents to support their local businesses, which have been affected by the nearly week-long outage.
UPDATED 03/10/26 at 12:56 pm
On Tuesday afternoon, around 12:20 pm, crews continued to work in Zones 1 through 4, with Liberty teams from Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, and New York, along with crews from mutual aid partners Ameren and Spire.
Due to the amount of time that it takes to run safety checks on all appliances at each location, the company says the process will take about 15 to 20 minutes per household, but they are working as quickly as possible.
Here is the latest restoration update from the utility company:
Crews continue to work in Zones 1-4. To view our restoration zone map, please click the link below. This includes Liberty teams from Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, and New York, along with crews from mutual aid partners Ameren and Spire. They are working as quickly as possible to restore service safely for our customers.
This phase of the response takes time. Unlike a meter turn-off, which typically takes about five minutes, restoring meter service and performing a safety check on gas appliances can take about 15–20 minutes per household, depending on the number of appliances. We would like to thank customers for their understanding.
We recognize you may not be home when our crew arrives. If we miss you, please call the number on the door hanger that our crews leave behind. We have teams specifically designated to respond to these requests.
For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
Find updates and information on how we restore gas: https://missouri.libertyutilities.com/jackson/gas-outage-update.html
UPDATED 03/09/26 at 7:48 pm
Liberty Utility crews continue to work in Zones 1 through 4. On Monday, Liberty crews from New Hampshire and New York, along with mutual aid partners Ameren and Spire, joined restoration efforts, allowing them to expand into additional zones for gas service restoration.
Here is the latest update from the utility company:
As of 6 p.m. [Monday], we have restored service to more than 1,100 homes and businesses. At this time, we expect restoration to be complete for all customers by the end of the week. Restoring service after a large outage requires careful coordination. To help move restoration forward efficiently, each zone has been divided into smaller sections, with crews assigned to specific sections. It is a careful balance as to the number of crews in each section to avoid duplicative visits to homes and maintain efficiency. Crews will continue to work extended hours, approximately 7:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. If you are home tonight, please leave your porch light on. The porch light will let them know it is okay to come to your home for a meter turn-on and safety inspection. We understand that customers have obligations and may not be home when crews arrive. Please call the card left at the door. We have teams specifically designated to respond to these requests as they are scheduled. For your safety, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1. For more information on how we restore gas: https://missouri.libertyutilities.com/jackson/gas-outage-update.html
A mobile shower and laundry trailer was also provided throughout the day for those affected by the gas outage.
UPDATED 03/08/26 at 9:08 pm
Early Sunday evening, Liberty Utilities reintroduced gas into its lines, and teams have begun turning meters back on to restore service to customers. Crews will be going home-to-home to turn on gas meters, perform a safety check of natural gas appliances, and relight equipment in all five zones in Northern Cape Girardeau County.
Here are the latest updates from the company:
Currently, we have teams working in Zones 1 and 2. If you are in these zones and plan to be home this evening, please leave your porch light on. Crews plan to work until about 10 p.m., and the porch light will let them know it is okay to come to your home for a meter turn-on and safety inspection.
If you are not home, a door hanger will be left with instructions to contact our customer care team so they can assist in scheduling an alternate time.
Tomorrow [Monday], 70 more team members, including mutual aid from other local natural gas utilities, will join our crews to further bolster this step of restoration.
UPDATED 03/08/26 at 5:57 pm
Gas has been reintroduced into the system, and our teams have begun turning meters back on to restore service to customers. As part of the process, crews must go home to home to turn on gas meters. They will need access to the inside of the home, from someone 18+, to perform a safety check of natural gas appliances, and relight equipment. If we miss you, we will leave a door hanger with instructions to contact customer care.
This step will take time. Currently, we still anticipate restoration to be complete for all customers around the end of the week.
Customers can help restoration efforts by:
· If possible, ensure someone over 18 is present when crews arrive
· Clear access to the gas meter if it is not already clear
· Secure pets
· Know where gas appliances are located (furnace, water heater, stove)
The impacted service areas have been divided into five restoration zones. The zone order is determined by the natural flow of gas through the system. Crews will restore service sequentially, starting in zone one.
While restoration will generally proceed zone by zone, customers may observe crews working in different zones at the same time. This may occur because:
- Critical care facilities and certain critical infrastructure may require earlier restoration.
- In an effort to support small businesses impacted by this outage, some small businesses may be restored outside their zone when it can be done safely.
- Operational requirements may occasionally require crews to move between areas.
These decisions are made to support community needs while maintaining system safety.
Our crews will work as quickly as possible to restore service safely. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1.
UPDATED 03/08/26 at 1:24 pm
As the gas line restoration and outage continue, Hope International is now providing shower facilities in Jackson for residents affected by the gas service disruption.
The organization plans to have its mobile shower units set up and operational starting around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at the former Jackson Fire Administration Building located at 503 S. Hope Street in Jackson. The facilities will be available to community members who are currently without gas service.
Around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Liberty Utilities provided an update on the progress of the natural gas line restoration.
All impacted meters have been turned off at this time with help from multiple utility workers from several states, covering approximately 168 miles of lines.
Due to weather conditions affecting the pipeline site, repairs to the gas line are delayed. While site conditions improve, a portable natural gas unit has been brought in to proceed with the next steps in the restoration process.
An update explains the next steps and the safety precautions:
Before we turn meters on, the team will gradually reintroduce gas to the system. During this step, customers may notice a natural gas odor. Any natural gas odor should be isolated to exterior areas, and not indoors. However, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call Liberty at 1-855-644-8134 or call 9-1-1. We will share another update when we begin turning meters back on. For more information on how we restore gas: https://missouri.libertyutilities.com/jackson/gas-outage-update.html
UPDATED 03/07/26 at 1:49 pm
Despite another round of strong storms overnight and more rain, progress has been made in repairing the natural gas line and restoring service to Liberty Utilities customers in northern Cape Girardeau County.
Here is the latest update from Liberty Utilities, received around 9:55 am Saturday.
Last night's meter teams were able to gain good ground, with approximately 500 more meters turned off. An estimated 2,700 meters remain. This morning, we are happy to welcome more Liberty crews from out of state to assist. Turning off all meters is a necessary step that must be completed before gas can be reintroduced to the system.
Our teams working on the gas line were able to get the new pipe in place overnight, which is a significant step for preparing the line for connection into the system.
We are monitoring the weather throughout the day. Our meter teams will continue to work despite rainfall, as long as it does not pose a threat to their safety. Welding work on the pipeline will have to be paused until rain subsides.
We want to thank the many community members who have offered support during this event.
UPDATED 03/06/26 at 6:20 pm
Liberty Utilities crews continue working to restore natural gas service in the region following recent outages affecting around 7,000 customers on Wednesday night.
Late Friday afternoon, we spoke with Ron Snider, Director of Operations of Natural Gas Liberty Utilities—Central Division. He said customers should expect crews to visit each home and business individually as part of the process.
“We have to go to each individual premise [address], turn the meter off, and place a flag in the yard,” Snider said. “Once everything is back up and we’re ready to reintroduce gas into the system, we return to each premise, pull the flag, turn the meter on, perform a gas safety check, and light all the customers back up.”
Because of the scale of the operation and ongoing weather challenges, including the possibility of severe storms over the weekend, Liberty has brought in crews from across the country.
Teams are currently assisting from Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, with more arriving from Georgia, New Hampshire, and New York through the weekend and into Monday.
Snider said progress largely depends on the weather and how much work can be completed before more rain moves in. Crews are working at the site to rebuild the pipe that crosses Byrd Creek, but a backup plan is in place if conditions delay repairs.
“If for some reason that doesn’t happen, we have LNG [liquified natural gas] scheduled to arrive Sunday,” Snider said. “For the customer, it would be just like using natural gas. LNG would be set up on Sunday morning, and we would start the light-up process back then.”
Ongoing updates are available at missouri.libertyutilities.com and on their Facebook page.
UPDATED 03/06/26 at 12:31 pm
According to a recent update from Liberty Utilities Central, around 11:30 a.m. Friday, crews have been working since early Friday morning, continuing to shut off all gas meters in the affected area for safety.
"Our operators have completed approximately 2,000 meter shut-offs at this time, and more gas crews are on the way to assist. Simultaneously, crews are beginning repairs to the damaged line", said the statement.
Liberty Utilities expects the restoration to be complete for all customers in about a week, which they say will allow their crew time to complete necessary repairs and restore service.
The natural gas provider says they will continue to provide updates as they receive them from teams in the field.
Original Story
A rapid and intense line of thunderstorms late Wednesday night caused more than just intermittent power outages and flash flooding.
Many residents in the Jackson, Fruitland, and Gordonville areas are now experiencing widespread natural gas outages. According to the most recent update, Liberty Utilities, which manages the area's natural gas service, said it believes the outage was caused by debris striking the gas line while it was submerged in rapidly flowing floodwaters. This pipeline serves much of the area, with the outage impacting just over 7,000 customers.
According to an update on their website late Thursday, Liberty stated it would continue to go door to door to turn off gas at each location impacted, with teams working late, and could be identified by a high-visibility Liberty vest and Liberty ID. They will not need access inside homes or businesses to turn off the gas.
When gas service is shut off, a small white or yellow flag will be placed in the yard, near the road. The flag is to alert the crew that service has been turned off. Residents and business owners are asked to leave the flag where they place it. Crews will remove flags once they have returned to the address to restore service.
At the time of this story on Friday, March 6, Liberty Utilities stated that because there is a lack of access to the gas line due to floodwater, they expect the outage in the region to be extended as they work to repair the damaged line. A date and time for expected restoration was not given.
