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Tag: Wyoming explosion

  • Wyoming Explosion: Fire Burning Too Hot To Fight

    Wyoming was the site of a horrific explosion on Wednesday at a natural gas plant, and officials say the fire is still burning too hot to really fight it.

    There’s no word on when residents of the small town of Opal will be able to return to their homes after being evacuated on Wednesday, but no injuries were reported. Authorities say the cause of the blast is unknown but is being investigated.

    “It burned so hot you can’t fight this thing,” Lincoln County spokesman Stephen Malik said.

    Officials say they will have to let the fire burn itself out before allowing residents to come back; all 95 members of the community were evacuated to nearby towns, where Williams Partners LP is putting them up at hotels. The company is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma but operates the gas plant.

    “They were downwind from the plant,” Lincoln County Sheriff Shane Johnson said. “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.”

    “We want to make sure everybody’s taken care of and they’re put up for the night if they’re not able to go back to their houses,” Williams spokeswoman Michele Swaner said.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • 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

  • 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