A pipeline in Oklahoma ruptured late Tuesday night, causing an explosion with flames that reached up to two football fields high, according to officials.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion but say that thankfully no one was harmed. Several families had to be evacuated from the area as Northern Natural Gas rushed to the scene to cut off the gas flow. Witnesses say the initial blast could be seen from southern Kansas.
“For safety reasons, we monitored the line last night and approached the pipeline this morning when it was under control,” Northern Natural Gas spokesman Mike Loeffler said. “After all the information is gathered, we will start repairs, but there will be absolutely no disruption to service.”
Resident Kevin Terry, who lives about 200 yards from the site of the fire, says he managed to escape with his wife and 10-year old son without incident but thought at first that a jet had crashed in the backyard.
While the cause of the rupture is unknown, it’s possible that a third party damaged it during an excavation without asking the gas company whether they could dig in the area first.
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