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GUNNISON -- A Gunnison family who was evacuated from their home three years ago stood by and watched as it was torn down Friday.
The home was at the center of a massive underground release of gasoline from a Top Stop gas station. It was torn down as part of a settlement between victims of the gas leak and Top Stop.
The Taylors were forced out because of dangerous levels of gasoline vapors in their home. Those levels never reached a safe area, so the family was never allowed back in the home.
We've definitely shed our share of tears and express a lot of up and down emotions. We're glad that's behind us. It's happy day.
–Marlo Taylor
That gave them few options as they looked to the future.
"As far as we understand, the house was considered uninhabitable," said Jeremy Taylor. "For that, that's the reason why we felt like it was never going to be safe to live in again."
Crews started tearing down the Taylor's home Friday morning. It was built about nine years ago and was a home the young family had planned to live in for the rest of their lives.
In the fall of 2007, they, along with other Gunnison residents, began to fall ill. The source of the sickness was later determined to be the more than 20,000-gallon gas leak from the Top Stop gas station on Main Street.
In the Taylor's case, the gas plume traveled more than three blocks underground and settled underneath their home. They say they are sad to see the house go, but are finding some relief that this difficult chapter in their lives is finally coming to an end.
"We've definitely shed our share of tears and express a lot of up and down emotions," said Marlo Taylor. "We're glad that's behind us. It's happy day."
Top Stop has been held financially responsible for the cleanup, which has reached more than $2 million.
Because of a confidentiality agreement, no one who got a settlement from Top Stop can give specifics about what they received. But it's clear around town there is a high level of dissatisfaction with Top Stop over how this situation was handled.
The cleanup of the gas plume is ongoing and is being monitored by state environmental officials.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
