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Tag: pipeline explosion

  • Encinal Texas Pipeline Explosion Creates a Fiery Scene

    A natural gas pipeline explosion made for a fiery scene in the small town of Encinal, Texas Friday morning.

    A pipeline operated by Lew Energy Group burst around 5:15 am ET Friday. The cause of the blast is yet unknown.

    Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.

    It did prompt some precautionary evacuations, however – about 30 to 40 people.

    A local elementary school was also shut down for safety reasons.

    Some witnesses to the explosion took to Twitter to post accounts:

  • 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

  • Pipeline Explosion Leaves Many Without Heat

    The Pipeline explosion that rocked southern Manitoba on Saturday is to blame for nearly 4,000 dealing with the extremely cold temperatures sans heat. Many of theses residents have alternate sources of heat to fall back on, according to Chambers Ewen, spokesperson for the Rural Municipality of Hanover.

    “Given the area we live in, there’s a lot of people that have an alternative source of heat,” she said, and added that many who don’t are staying with friends and family to ride out the disaster until TransCanada can supply gas again to Manitoba Hydro, which provides heat to the area.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35WuVpezu3w

    According to the Globe and Mail, Manitoba Hydro has warned their customers to prepare for an outage that could last several days and be an immediate danger in temperatures that drop to around -20 degrees C and snow blowing so hard it causes visibility issues and closes many roads.

    According to Yahoo, Emergency Measures spokesperson Nicki Albus confirms that it is going to be a cold, nasty ordeal but assures the public that they are doing everything they can to help those affected.

    “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.”​

    TransCanada stated in a press release yesterday that they are working vigorously on the issues and hope to resolve them as soon as possibe.

    “TransCanada wants Manitoba Hydro customers affected by the natural gas outage to know that our staff are doing everything possible to determine the cause of the fire and get the pipeline repaired and regular natural gas service restored quickly, safely and in accordance with regulations.”

    Community Warming Centers were quickly set up for those who might need a place to stay, and as for those who are using alternate heat, they were reminded not to use kerosene heaters, barbeques, or temporary space heaters as they could be unsafe. Only approved space heaters should be used.

    Image via youtube

  • Pipeline Explosion Leaves Thousands in Brutal Cold

    The TransCanada natural gas pipeline explosion near Winnipeg, Canada caused a fire that burned for 12 hours Saturday, but the most disconcerting effects have proven to be the resulting elimination of heat in close to 4,000 homes.

    In what could only be defined as terrible timing, temperatures in Winnipeg and surrounding areas are currently dropping to -20 C at night. Some authorities say that the outage will last from 24 to 72 hours, and others are not sure how long the outage will last at all. According to a Canadian news provider, reporters suggest an “Artic freeze” and blizzard-like effects will soon hit the area.

    No repairs have been made on the pipeline yet, and the blizzard-like conditions in the area are to blame for the delay. The National Energy Board and the Transportation Safety Board need to inspect the pipeline damage before TransCanada is able to repair the pipelines, but the extreme weather makes accessing the site too hazardous.

    The necessary investigation can hopefully begin on Monday, and warming centers have been set up for the nine communities that have been affected by the explosion.

    At around 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning, neighborhoods watched as large, booming flames shot out of the ground after one large explosion. Five homes closest to the site were evacuated as firefighters fought the massive flames for 12 hours.

    No foul play has been suspected regarding the pipeline explosion, and there has also been no conclusive evidence of what caused the explosion.


    Image via Youtube

  • Pipeline Explosion: Cause Of Blast Unknown

    Pipeline Explosion: Cause Of Blast Unknown

    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.

    Image: ABC13 screenshot