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Tag: gas explosion

  • Florida Jail Explosion: 2 Dead, At Least 100 Injured

    A fatal explosion is currently being investigated by the Escambia County Fire Marshal and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

    The incident reportedly took place at the Escambia County jail in Pensacola, Fla. at about 11:00 pm on Wednesday.

    The terrible blast apparently leveled the central booking facility at the location.

    After being described as simply an “explosion” early on with the cause of the blast being more or less ambiguous, it was later identified as “an apparent gas explosion” by county spokeswoman Kathleen Dough-Castro.

    Castro spoke to reporters about the ongoing situation, informing the press that the affected building “is still standing”. However it is “unstable and partially collapsed”, making it unsafe for personnel or inmates.

    The uncertain nature of facility was a major reason why law enforcement officials and emergency responders were working frantically to get people out of the building.

    “We have reports people heard an explosion and smelled gas,” said Castro. She added that despite the blast, “there was no fire” reported at the scene by officials.

    Two inmates are said to have been killed by the gas explosion.

    Castro believes that anywhere between 100 and 150 prisoners and guards were injured due to the blast.

    The injured prisoners have been accounted for and were all transported to hospitals in the surrounding area for treatment.

    No life-threatening injuries are believed to have occurred as spokespersons from various area hospitals say that inmates and personnel are being treated for “minor injuries”.

    The blast forced law enforcement officials to evacuate approximately 600 inmates from the facility.


    Castro also stated that in the aftermath of the explosion, the uninjured prisoners have been relocated to detention centers in other areas of Escambia County and neighboring Santa Rosa County.

    The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office jail is said to have received about 100 inmates. Office spokesman Rich Aloy said that this was a rough estimate and that the exact number of inmates transferred to the location is unknown.

    Despite the chaotic and frantic nature reported at the site of the blast, there have been no escapees reported.

    Image via YouTube

  • Wyoming Explosion Leads To Evacuation

    An explosion at the Williams Companies Inc plant in Opal, Wyoming has caused the natural gas-processing plant to shut down and the town of Opal to be evacuated.

    The blast occurred around 2 p.m., but the fire continued to burn into the evening. Opal is located about 100 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, Utah. The residents of Opal were told to travel at least 3 miles from town to ensure their own safety.

    “They were downwind from the plant,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Shane Johnson. “The fire was still very active, and because of the nature of the processing that goes on there, that was the call that was made for safety reasons.”

    42 people work at the plant and all of them were accounted for after the explosion and none of them were injured. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the fire had been contained to one area of the plant. Highways near the plant were shut down and a shelter was created outside of town for the evacuees.

    Many people shared photos of the explosion and fire on Twitter.

    There have been numerous concerns over the safety of the pipeline that runs to the plant. There have been several other fires and explosions at other plants and similar pipelines across the country. Many regulators are concerned with the safety of these pipelines and wonder how they will hold up as the country’s output of oil and gas increases to meet demands.

    Once the fire department is able to put out the blaze, investigators will work to determine the cause of the fire. Once the area is considered safe, the residents of Opal will be able to return to their homes.

    What do you think caused the explosion?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Washington Plant Fire: 5 Workers Injured, 400 Evacuated

    Monday morning at 8:20 am, a blast at Williams Northwest Pipeline facility on the Washington-Oregon border injured five workers, and caused some 400 people to evacuate from their homes nearby, as a mushroom cloud of dark black smoke shot up into the sky.

    It happened near the town of Plymouth, which sits along the Columbia River. The explosion sparked a fire and punctured one of the facility’s two giant storage tanks for liquefied natural gas.

    Benton County Sheriff Steven Keane said a relatively small amount of gas leaked from the tank to the ground in a moat-like containment area. But it then evaporated, blowing away to the northeast, he said.

    “I think if one of those huge tanks had exploded, it might have been a different story,” Keane said.

    The fire was extinguished within a couple of hours; however, one if the injured workers had to be transported to a hospital in Portland, OR due to severe burns.

    Benton Fire District 1 Capt. Jeff Ripley said another four people were taken to local medical facilities. None of the injuries was believed to be life threatening.

    More than a mile away across the Columbia River, the explosion shook local resident Cindi Stefani’s home.

    “It was just a very loud boom,” she said. “I looked across the river and saw a giant mushroom cloud and flames at least a couple hundred feet high.”

    Animals on neighboring farms were running around frightened, she added.

    “At that point we were all pretty scared. I was thinking, ‘We need to get out of here.’”

    Deputies, who went door to door to homes and farms within a 2-mile radius, evacuated about 400 residents as a precaution.

    Williams Northwest Pipeline facility provides gas when needed for high demand. The pipeline reaches a 4,000 mile area that stretches from the Canadian border to southern Utah.

    Its two liquefied natural gas storage tanks each have a 1.2 billion cubic foot capacity, Williams spokeswoman Michele Swaner said. The one that was punctured was about a third full.

    Swaner said the 14 employees working at the time were all accounted for. A total of 17 or 18 people work at the facility.

    She added it was too early to determine the extent of the damage or the cause of the explosion. The pipeline was shut down in the area of the storage facility, but was still carrying gas on other stretches.

    Williams operates about 15,000 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines, according to its website.

    There was no pipeline rupture, and no customers were affected, company officials said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kentucky Gas Line Explosion: Two Homes Destroyed

    Early Thursday morning at 1:00 am, a natural gas line exploded in Adair County, Kentucky, catching three homes on fire, and sending two people to the hospital.

    The explosion was so intense it left a crater in the ground that was at least 60 feet deep, and 50 feet wide, according to Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Greg Thomas. Three homes caught fire and two of them burned to the ground, along with barns and cars, Thomas said.

    Around 20 homes were evacuated in the wee-hours on Thursday, and officials declared a state of emergency for Adair County. All residents whose homes were not damaged or destroyed by the explosion were allowed to return to their homes later on Thursday, Thomas said.

    One of the injured had burns and had to be hospitalized, and another was brought to the hospital for evaluation. In addition to the two homes that were destroyed, Thomas said a third home was damaged by fire along with four or five vehicles.

    Jason Rector was at the scene of the explosion this morning with a group of American Red Cross volunteers, who were delivering food and support to emergency workers and victims whose houses were burned or damaged.

    Area fire departments, police, and emergency responders also were lending support.

    “We didn’t get up close to the crater because there were still flames shooting several feet in the air,” Rector said. “They had got the pipeline shut off in both directions, but the excess gas remaining in the pipe was still burning when I left.”

    The pipeline, which runs about 20 feet underground, is owned and operated by Columbia Gulf Transmission and runs from the Gulf of Mexico to New York.

    A statement from the company said it is not known yet what caused the explosion. The gas flow had been shut off to the damaged line, and trained crews were working to ensure the safety of the local residents.

    “We don’t yet know the cause but will be working with the appropriate authorities to conduct a thorough and complete investigation,” the statement said.

    “The gas company is taking charge of the cleanup and determination of what happened,” Thomas said. “They will have engineers to send the pipes off to determine what happened. It’s a process that’s going to be happening for a while.”

    The roadways around the site have also since reopened and Thomas expects the state of emergency will be lifted on Friday morning.

    Officials report that firefighters have the fire under control and are letting it burn itself out.

    Image via YouTube

  • Pipeline Explosion Has Residents Without Heat In Extreme Cold

    Residents in the Canadian province of Manitoba have been left without natural gas for heat, after a pipeline exploded on Saturday.

    The explosion sent a huge fireball into the night sky.

    The natural gas pipeline explosion cut heat to thousands of people who could be in for some extremely cold weather in the coming days. No injuries have yet been reported, but residents in some municipalities south of Winnipeg could be waiting quite a while for their services to be restored.

    Some residents are expecting some serious temperature drops, with wind-chills that could dip down to 45 degrees below zero, F.

    Although workers are in the process of getting emergency gas to the more critical locations the blizzard like storms and freezing temps could cause safety issues in delivering these emergency supplies.

    The cause of the explosion is unknown at this time but is being investigated, however it is believed that the extreme cold may have damaged the infrastructure.

    With the extreme weather the country has been facing, first with the Polar Vortex, followed by another major storm, coined “Bombogenesis” have been the major contributor to the fuel and gas prices soaring.

    The soaring costs of fuel are due to dwindling supplies as the extreme weather has swept through North America. In most cases, grid operators have been able to maintain stability throughout the extreme conditions.

    “We are in the midst of another temperature drop. A bit of an Arctic front is moving in here, and to the south of us, there is a blizzard system, so people in this area are going to get a nasty, cold, winter storm day,” CBC’s Katie Nicholson reported.

    Emergency Measures spokesperson Nicki Albus on Saturday spoke about the cold that is on its way.

    “We know it’s cold and people may be concerned about that but we are on the job here. Everyone here’s communicating well. We have a great group of people at the site and in the communities who have set up their emergency operation centres to handle this dilemma.”​

    The consequences of Saturday’s pipeline explosion have stretched as far down as Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin, causing the local utility companies to request that customers conserve gas over the weekend.

    Manitoba Hydro and TransCanada officials could not say when natural gas would be restored to the area.

    Hydro officials said customers in the area should prepare for an extended gas outage.

    Image via YouTube

  • Wyoming Explosion of Gas Tanks Leaves 5 Injured

    An explosion that occurred on Friday has left five gas field workers injured. The devastating incident took place at an Encana drilling site, located in the Pinedale, Wyoming. Authorities reported that the accident was caused by a welding procedure, which in turn, set off the explosion.

    The Sublette County Sheriff’s Department released a statement offering updated details on the condition of the injured workers. It was reported that one worker suffered substantial injuries, and is now in critical condition, and two others were in serious condition. Another worker was reported as ‘stable,’ and the fifth was treated, and has been released from a local Pindale health clinic. According to the Star Tribune of Wyoming, Encana spokesman, Doug Hock, offered a brief statement in regards to the explosion, stating that the explosion took place near a battery of six condensate tanks.

    The gas field works were contract employees outsourced to Encana. Three were employed with ASAP Construction of Boulder, which is located within Sublette County. The other two workers were independent contractors. “This appears to be related to the welding they were doing,” Hock stated in agreement with the sheriff’s department. “That was the ignition source.”

    However, the external observations for the cause are only preliminary. The definitive cause of the explosion remains unknown, as the accident is still under investigation. The Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be handling the investigation.

    The sheriff’s department reported that according to when the call was placed, the explosion took place at approximately 10:15 a.m. MST. By 1:00 p.m., it was reported that the fire had been diffused.

    Bridget Ford of Encana also weighed in with her sentiments of those involved in the explosion. “This has been a difficult and sad day, and our friends and co-workers that were hurt are in our thoughts and prayers,” Ford said.
    Image via Twitter | Encana Corporation

  • Westminster Explosion Injures Two, Destroys Houses

    An explosion in Westminster, Colorado on Thursday left two people injured and destroyed several houses. Westminster is a suburb located just north of Denver.

    According to the Westminster Fire Department, the explosion occurred at around 11:30 am. The surrounding block was evacuated due to concerns that another explosion could follow.

    According to the Denver Post, the explosion is thought to have been caused by natural gas. Local residents reported smelling gas shortly before the explosion. Energy company investigators are now determining whether a gas leak could have caused the incident.

    One home was completely destroyed, reduced to rubble. The owners of that house were away at the time, and are fine. Another house was severly damaged, and two others suffered relatively minor damage.

    Two people were injured as a result of the explosion. However, the Post report states that both of the injuries were suffered by rescue workers: a police officer, who stepped on broken glass, and an energy company worker whose injury was not disclosed.

    (image)

    Westminster Fire Department17 hours ago

    WFD is still on scene of the 11:30a home explosion on the 9300 block of Ingalls. The surrounding block is still evacuated as a tech rescue crew searches the destroyed home. Powered by socialditto(image)  7 likes ·  6 comments

  • Nyack College Explosion Injures 7

    An apparent gas explosion has injured seven people at a Christian college in Nyack, New York.

    According to a WCBS report, the explosion occurred today just before noon at Nyack College. The blast caused significant damage to the school building, including shattered windows and doors. Authorities are currently working under the assumption that the explosion was caused by leaking gas, based on reports of the smell of gas in the area.

    Six Nyack College employees and one student have been reported as injured in the blast. Their injuries have been described as not life-threatening. Nyack College has put out a short statement through its social media channels, asking for prayers and saying that “everyone is doing ok.”

  • Opryland Hotel Explosion Forces Evacuation

    The Opryland Hotel, which is now known as Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, was the location of a gas explosion late Tuesday night, forcing nearly 5,000 guests, including 4,500 individuals attending the National Sheriff’s Conference, to evacuate their rooms. According to Fox News, no injuries were reported at the scene. Guests were finally allowed to return to their beds early Wednesday morning.

    Hotel officials explained to Nashville’s News 2 that some sort of mechanical malfunction “compromised the gas line”, which resulted in the explosion. Crews reportedly worked through the night to correct the problem. Although there was no fire, the building did experience some damage, forcing officials to shut off utilities until everything was safe and sound.

    According to witnesses, the blast was so strong that several ceiling tiles on the third floor were damaged. “We turned the corner right near the Convention Center entrance [and] ceiling tiles were falling out [and there was] several large holes [and] debris all over the place,” one guest explained.

    Because of the number of law enforcement officials at the hotel for the conference, the FBI, along with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigated the explosion for anything suspicious. “[The explosion] was initially part of the concern,” Capt. Ken Walburn of the Nashville Fire Department said. “We wanted to make sure, given the location and the convention, that it wasn’t an act of terrorism.”

    The amount of structural damage to the hotel has yet to be determined.

    In May of 2010, the hotel found itself covered in several feet of floodwaters from the Cumberland River, forcing the property to undergo remediation. After several months of extensive clean-up work, the hotel reopened for business on November 15, 2010.

    The Opryland Hotel opened its doors in 1977 as a place for Opryland USA and Grand Ole Opry visitors to the stay. Although the park was shuttered in 1997, the hotel and resort is still alive and well. Presently, it is the largest non-casino hotel in the continental U.S. outside of Las Vegas.