Investigation continues in house collapse

An investigation continues into this house collapse in Somerville

http://www.newstalkradiowhio.com/news/news/local/investigation-cont...

This Week In Natural Gas Leaks and Explosions – Aug. 22, 2011

Aug 24th, 2011 | By fjgallagher | Category: Lead Articles, Natural Gas Explosions, Natural Gas Leaks

This was a particularly destructive week for natural gas leaks and natural gas explosions.

Okay, so perhaps this post really should be titled, “The Last Two Weeks in Natural Gas Leaks and Explosions,” because what with the recent visit to the White House and all the other content that needed creating, last week’s episode sort of fell by the wayside.

Unfortunately, this was a particularly destructive and devastating week for natural gas leaks and natural gas explosions, starting with an incident in Illinois.

An explosion at the Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America in Herscher, IL, sent five people to the hospital on Aug. 16. Although the explosion itself was not related to a pipeline failure, it’s worth noting that the company’s owner, Kinder Morgan, has a lengthy record of pipeline and workplace safety violations. Investigators from both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA) continue to investigate the cause of the blast.

An explosion in Douglasville, GA, sent a maintenance man to the hospital with severe burns on Thursday, Aug. 18, according to a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Neighbors reported smelling natural gas in the area shortly before the blast destroyed one condominium and severely damaged several others in the development.

A story in the Boston Herald revealed that the city is overrun with more than 20,000 natural gas leaks beneath its streets. The areas in green indicate the strongest presence of methane.

An explosion that investigators are attributing to natural gas t

Gas blast destroys Newborough garage

A fire and a large explosion last night has destroyed a garage and the car inside at Newborough in the Latrobe Valley.

The fire was reported about 8:10pm (AEST) and a burning car LP gas cylinder caused the explosion.

Firefighters managed to cool another gas cylinder filled with acetylene and stopped it from exploding too.

Seven fire crews stop the fire spreading to houses and took about half an hour to extinguish the blaze.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-01/gas-blast-destroys-newborough...

Oilfield explosion claims three

Samson Resource Company officials have confirmed the deaths of three of its contract employees following an explosion and fire Aug. 29 at one of its oil rigs in Converse County.

According to Wyoming OSHA Deputy Administrator J.D. Danni, the men who were killed in the explosion are James Turner, 55, of Double D Welding and Fabrication of Casper and Llewellyn Dort, 32, and Gerardo Alatorre of Wild of Wild West Construction of Glenrock.

A release Tuesday afternoon stated, “Bodies of the victims were removed from the location Monday by the Converse County Coroner. They will be taken to Colorado for autopsies and positive identification."

The explosion occurred 23 miles north of Glenrock at a worksite on the Hornbuckle Ranch shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. The incident is under investigation by a Samson emergency response team and several state and federal law enforcement organizations, including the Converse County Sheriff’s Office, State Fire Marshal and the federal OSHA agency.

“Samson has ceased construction work at its other facilities in the Powder River Basin until a preliminary cause of the explosion can be determined,” the CCSO release stated.

Samson spokesman Dennis Neill told the Budget that workers were installing a pipe to a heat treater from a non-producing wellhead at the time of the explosion. But because there was no direct connection from the wellhead to the tank battery, it is still unclear what ignited the explosion.

The heat treater, when in operation, separates water from crude oil, then stores the water in tanks. According to Neill, the explosion occurred approximately 50 feet from the well where the separated water would have been stored when the project was completed.

The explosion resulted in a fire in the dry grass around the well and production area. The sheriff’s office said, “Due to the quick response by property owners and firefighters, the fire at the site was quickly contained and involved approximately 10 acres.”

“Clearly, it is an industrial site and is really a location for trained personnel to work on,” Neill said. “The personnel that normally work at these sites have to be licensed by the various states and generally have a great deal of experience in the area.

“We work with these contracting agencies to make sure that they have their safety practices in place as required under federal and state regulations, including wearing the proper clothing that is fire retardant and taking additional steps under federal and state laws to make sure that there are safe worker practices there. So certainly, a safe well site involves the cooperation of many, not just the operator, which Samson was in this case, but all the contracting workers that work in this area.”

According Danni, Wyoming ranked third per capita nationally in workplace fatalities in 2009 with 16 deaths.

In 2010, Wyoming saw an increase to 34 deaths, according to a study released by the Board of Labor and Statistics.

“Whenever there is an increase in work, there is a possibility of more injuries,” Danni said.

Over the past several months, Converse County has seen an influx of energy-related ventures into the area with increased production in coal, oil, gas, wind and gravel in nearly every corner of the county.

“As you know, this is a very active area right now,” Neill said. “Many wells have been safely drilled and production has occurred. This is just a tragic incident that we all want to understand so that if there needs to be some changes in any safety practices, they can certainly be implemented and shared industry-wide.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those who d

Link didn't copy for below story.

http://www.douglas-budget.com/news/article_a39150fa-d3e2-11e0-9da4-...

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The site of the fire and explosions at a St. Augustine gas station is now environmentally "stable," according to the Department of Environmental Protection.

The BP gas station and Skinner Oil sat on the edge of marshland. Late Friday afternoon, an explosion triggered a massive fire and some evacuations; one person was injured.

According to DEP spokesperson Jennifer Diaz, the gasoline, kerosene and diesel have been removed from the containment and all remaining above ground storage tanks. The tanks are in the process of being cleaned."

PICTURES: Gas Station Fire

The amount of gasoline, kerosene and diesel lost has not yet been released by the responsible parties. According to DEP,  Coomes Oil, which owns the property, Florida Rock and Tank owns the tanker truck.

According to DEP, there was some pooling of the fuel in "small pockets at the marsh edge. From observations near the collection boom located on Masters Drive, only very light sheen was observed with some light weathered fuel as well."

Diaz said the responsible parties hired a contractor to help clean up the site.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/rss/article/215831/3/Gas-Explosion-Si...

Man Killed in Home Explosion

September 1, 2011 5:58 PM

CARLINVILLE, IL. (KMOX) - An 87 year old Macoupin County Illinois man was killed in a home explosion early Thursday morning.

Sheriff’s deputies say when they arrived they found the one story brick home had been leveled and they discovered the body of Thomas Barnard.

It’s suspected that a natural gas build up caused the explosion.  An investigation is underway.

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2011/09/01/man-killed-in-home-explosion/

Natural gas explosion and fire damage San Diego County McDonald’s; customers, workers escape

Encinitas Fire Marshal Robert Scott says kitchen workers smelled natural gas and told customers to leave. Four customers and at least four employees got out safely.

The blast sparked a fire that took about an hour to control. A neighboring optometry business had smoke damage.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/natural-gas-explosion-and-fi...

Explosion at California Research Plant Leaves One Dead, Report Says

Published September 02, 2011 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/02/explosion-at-california-resear...

Video: Morristown family survives manhole explosion

When power failed at their Morristown home on Wednesday, members of the Sharretts family drove across town to transfer their food to a friend’s freezer. But things warmed up before they got there.

As they turned left from South Street onto James Street, a manhole exploded beneath their vehicle.

“All of a sudden there was a fireball around me,” said the driver, Brett Sharretts. “It was not a steam accident. It was fire.”

Jersey Central Power & Light has attributed the incident, which blistered another motorist whose identity has not been disclosed, to a “failed switch.” The utility maintains that the event was unrelated to the ongoing restoration of power to Morristown in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.

On Thursday, state Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (R-25th Dist.) and Mayor Tim Dougherty met with Richard Jackson, executive director of the state Board of Public Utilities, and pressed him to get answers from JCP&L about a series of underground fires and explosions in Morristown–and to determine what caused a May 2010 explosion at the Morristown & Township Library.

“It’s time for some answers,” the Assemblyman said.

Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. blast was heard or felt in businesses, apartments and town hall. People streamed from the Visiting Nurse Association and the 181 South apartment building as firemen went inside to inspect for damage. This was the first manhole incident in town that resulted in injuries.

“It was just a matter of time,” the Mayor said at the scene.

Brett, Ted and Jeanne Sharretts a day after driving over an exploding manhole in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Brett Sharretts said the hair was singed on his left arm, which had been leaning out the vehicle’s open window. The Honda Pilot rocked and felt hot, “like a campfire,” said his wife Jeanne.

“I’m on fire?” Brett exclaimed. From the left rear passenger seat, his son Ted, a Life Scout with first aid training, draped a blanket on his father’s arm.

Ted, 15, remembers hearing a “Boom!” Through his closed window he saw “a really bright flash on one side” that was orange-yellow.

“A New Jersey I.E.D.,” Ted said, using the military acronym for a roadside bomb.

Ted’s sister Catherine, who who is a contributor to MorristownGreen.com, recently started classes at American University and missed the wild ride.

Wednesday’s drama happened very fast, Jeanne said.

“You could feel the heat. It felt like it exp

Three injured when hot water boiler explodes at Manville home

Published: Saturday, September 03, 2011, 10:06 PM     Updated: Sunday, September 04, 2011, 12:02 PM

Enlarge Amanda Brown/The Star-Ledger Authorities were called to the scene of a gas explosion at 112 Huff Ave. in Manville. Two PSE&G workers were injured in the blast. 9/3/2011 (Amanda Brown/For the Star-Ledger) Gas Explosion in Manville gallery (7 photos)

  

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MANVILLE — An explosion ripped through a Manville home today, injuring two utility workers and rattling already frayed nerves in the riverside community still reeling from Hurricane Irene.

PSE&G said a hot water boiler exploded shortly after 2 p.m. on the 100 block of Huff Avenue as two workers from the utility company were walking into the homeowner’s basement to repair it. The explosion caused the basement stairs to collapse underneath the workers and shattered windows in the home, which had been flooded during last weekend’s hurricane.

"I heard a loud bloom and saw the glass go flying," said Ayres Gray, a construction worker with Heavy and General Construction Laborers Local 472 who was nearby at the time of the explosion.

The condition and identities of the workers were not released tonight, but Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano said one is 54 and from Collingswood and the other is 32, from West Deptford. Both were airlifted to Saint Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston, according to PSE&G. The 88-year-old owner of the home, was also not identified, but he was treated at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville for cuts and bruises and released.

PSE&G said the two men were the first employees of the utility company to sustain injuries repairing damage from the storm.

The cause of the accident remained under investigation yesterday, but PSE&G said natural gas was not involved. Manville emergency officials initially reported the incident as a gas explosion.

"It was not a gas explosion," said Mike Schmid, PSE&G director of appliance field services. "There’s a number of things that could have caused i

Underground fuel tank explodes during Neb. storm

NEWPORT, Neb. (AP) — An underground diesel tank has exploded at a Newport gas station.

Newport Fire Chief Kurt Micheel told KOLN-TV (http://bit.ly/oE7ESR) that the explosion about 3 a.m. Friday blew a 20-foot-by-20-foot hole in the store's parking lot that was 8 to 10 feet deep. There was a storm in the area at the time and a lightning strike may be to blame.

No injuries were reported, and the store was not damaged.

The tank was almost empty when it exploded. A crew was called in to clean up the remaining fuel.

http://www.chron.com/news/article/Underground-fuel-tank-explodes-du...

Explosion Destroys Home On Long Island

Updated: Tuesday, 06 Sep 2011, 11:46 AM EDT

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/house-explodes-on-long-island-elmon...

North Plainfield man hospitalized for burns after natural gas explosion

Published: Thursday, September 08, 2011, 5:40 PM     Updated: Thursday, September 08, 2011, 5:43 PM

Google MapsCyprus Gardens Apartment Complex on Route 22 in North Plainfield, where a resident was hospitalized after a natural gas explosion in the complex today.   

NORTH PLAINFIELD — An elderly North Plainfield resident was hospitalized this afternoon when a natural gas explosion rocked his Route 22 apartment, said Police Chief William Parenti.

The victim, identified only as an 85-year-old male, suffered burns to his chest, arms and face after the 2:43 p.m. blast at the Cypress Gardens apartment complex, Parenti said. He is expected to survive.

The man told police he was trying to adjust his apartment’s heater and thermostat, which investigators believe led to the explosion. Parenti said the victim was "conscious and alert" when a State Police helicopter transported him to St. Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston.

The boom blew out several windows in the man’s apartment, but Parenti said the damage was contained to his residence. The apartment complex did not suffer any structural damage, there was no sustained fire, and no on else was injured, according to Parenti.

PSE&G cut off gas to the building until it can contain the leak, according to Parenti.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/north_plainfield_woman_hos...

Underground blast shocks drivers in downtown St. John's

ST. JOHN'S — After leaving his office in downtown St. John's, Norm Dimmell was driving along Water Street Wednesday evening and stopped at the intersection with Ayre's Cove. What happened next was a shock.

"All the lights went out," he said. "As I started moving, there was a 'pop.' I turned my head and my truck was engulfed in flames.

"It was almost like there was a water balloon of fire thrown at me and it busted off the side of my truck."

Dale Foote with the St. John's Regional Fire Department later confirmed an underground Newfoundland Power generator — specifically a covering around the wiring of the generator — had exploded.

He said a "short circuit" of some kind was the cause. "Because it's surrounded in mineral oil, it exploded and, when it did, it blew the (manhole) cover and that up."

Asked how much the manhole cover might weigh, Foote estimated it to be 300 pounds.

There were no injuries reported, but the underside of Dimmell's vehicle was damaged.

Karen Ryan witnessed the blast. Like Dimmell, she also said the lights went out moments before.

"This guy in the truck was just passing over that manhole cover and then next thing this huge explosion and flames were shooting up through it and this guy was seconds from totally running over it and getting blown up. Honest to God," she said. "I called 911 and I said, 'I think you better get down here.'"

Jamie Holmes had just driven through the same intersection.

Holmes said firefighters arrived only a "few minutes" later, and closed off the intersection. Despite the rapid response, about half a dozen other vehicles passed over the opening before the area could be closed off, he said. "It was pretty scary, actually."

Due to "some kind of gas" or an "oily residue" around the area of the manhole, firefighters put foam in and around the opening.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/national/Underground+blast+shocks+...

Dai Kurokawa/EPA

The area was packed with people when the explosion erupted, tearing through rows of flimsily-constructed houses.

A massive fireball tore through a slum in Kenya's capital after a leaking gas pipeline exploded Monday, killing at least 75 people and injuring 100 more, officials said.

Flames shot out hundreds of feet from the ruptured fuel line, incinerating an entire neighborhood and its residents.

Charred bodies floated in a nearby river and blackened bones laid near the site.

"I've lost count of the number of bodies," said Wilfred Mbithi, the cop in charge of operations in Nairobi. "Many had dived into the river to put out their flames."

Pockets of fire continued to burn among the smoldering wreckage of crumpled corrugated shacks.

Resident Joseph Mwangi, 34, said many of his neighbors had gone to gather leaking fuel from the pipe when an mammoth explosion ripped through the area around 9 a.m.

As he spoke, Mwangi discovered the charred remains of two small children in the burnt wreckage of his home.

"Those were my children," he said, collapsing to the ground.

When Michael Muriuki found his daughter's smoldering body, he struggled to speak.

"Her name was Josephine Muriuki. She was five," he managed to say.

The area was packed with people when the explosion erupted, tearing through rows of flimsily-constructed houses.

At least 112 burn victims have been brought to the Kenyatta National Hospital, including many young children, officials said.

"This is a terrible accident," said Prime Minister Raila Odinga, as he visited the wounded.

He said the government would pay for all medical care and would launch an investigation into the Kenya Pipeline Company to determine the cause of the leak.

www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/09/12/2011-09-12_pipeline_explo...

3-alarm fire at Mumford propane plant; worker injured in explosion

Firefighters are continuing to battle a three-alarm blaze at the Burnwell gas company in Mumford, and at least one male employee who was inside the building was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with burns to his face and arms and possibly most of his body.

Mumford Fire Chief Mike Burnside has declared the fire under control, but said firefighters are still battling flames coming from a 1,000-gallon tank. He said he expects the operation to last well into the night. He estimated it would be at least three hours before hazardous materials crews could come in to assess any environmental damage.

 The extent of the man’s injuries are unclear due to conflicting reports, said State Police Lt. Doug Montijo.

One report indicated he had burns to 90 percent of his body, but another report was less severe, he said.

Keith Wrisley, vice president of operations for Superior Plus Energy Services Inc., said the employee's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The man, whose name has not been released, was lucid and awake when he was discovered at the scene, Montijo said.

The fire at the propane plant at 1104 Main St. in the hamlet of Mumford started about 3 p.m., and nearby homes and businesses were evacuated as traffic was shut down in all directions.

The state Department of Transportation at 5:15 p.m. shut down Route 36 in both directions between George Street and Caledonia High School until further notice.

The American Red Cross is on the scene providing food and water to the firefighters, EMTs and other responders, said spokeswoman Erin Caldwell. She said the Red Cross is prepared to set up a shelter if residents who were evacuated are not allowed back home tonight.

Several explosions have occurred and at one point firefighters were ordered to back up to outside 1,000 feet of the fire for fear of additional explosions. Several large propane tanks remained intact this afternoon, and firefighters were dousing them with water to keep them from igniting, Montijo said.

It’s unclear what caused the fire or which structures are ablaze, officials said.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110913/NEWS01/1109130...|head

Police Evacuate Apartment Building After Explosion

Toxic Gas Shuts Down Traffic in Midtown

Palo Alto police and firefighters responded to a small explosion in a Palo Alto apartment complex Tuesday night. The building was evacuated and traffic was halted in the surrounding area due to toxic gas, police said.

A resident of the building in the 2700 block of Midtown Court reported the explosion and subsequent noxious odor in a 911 call at 7:20 p.m.
The Palo Alto Fire Department located the source of the odor in a pool supply area beneath a stairwell. Firefighters found a five-gallon bucket containing a chlorine-based substance that was violently "off gassing," police said.

The substance was removed from the building and firefighters were able to stop the hazardous fumes. Residents were allowed to return to their apartments at around 9:30 p.m.

Seven residents and one Palo Alto firefighter were evaluated for exposure to the substance and were treated on the scene. The Red Cross assisted one family that was unable to return to their residence.

Firefighters stored the substance for further evaluation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Investigators do not yet know if the explosion was accidental or intentional.

http://paloalto.patch.com/articles/police-evacuate-apartment-buildi...

Housing NSW has issued a statement about the gas explosion at one of its properties which claimed the life of a 34-year-old woman.

A 45-year-old man also was airlifted to a Sydney hospital with burns over 42 per cent of his body..

The statement from Housing NSW read in full:

"Housing NSW extends its condolences to the victims of the overnight incident in Forster.

The property in Little Street, Forster, is owned by Housing NSW and had been managed by Community Housing Limited (CHL) for a number of years.

Housing NSW plans to sell the property and the tenants had been relocated. There was only one remaining tenant in the complex and she was not injured in the incident and Housing NSW is arranging temporary accommodation prior to finalising her relocation.

All the windows of the vacant units on the ground floor had been boarded up and the doors screwed shut to deter squatters. The stairwells to the upstairs units had also been boarded to prevent access to those units.

Staff from CHL had been on site late last week. At that time the boarding was intact and there was no sign of squatters.

Housing NSW is assisting police with their enquiries."

http://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/housin...

Michael Norris / Amarillo Globe-News

An explosion and fire in the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway yard in the 1700 block of Johnson Street prompted precautionary evacuations and road closures into downtown Friday morning, Sept. 16, 2011.

 

A fire that erupted in a railcar near downtown Amarillo does not pose a threat to the public, officials said.

About 11:27 a.m. fire and police crews responded to an explosion and fire at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway yard in the 1700 block of Johnson Street that quickly escalated to a hazardous materials situation. 

Black smoke was visible in the downtown area with flames reaching up to 300 feet, Police Chief Robert Taylor said.

The fire caused the evacuation of about a fourth of a mile or four blocks away from the scene in each direction and some roads were closed leading into downtown, Taylor said.

Authorities said they believe the fire began in a railcar carrying Isopentane, a flammable gas that reacts with the air, but they do not know the exact cause.

Authorities don’t know how many rail cars were affected or what they were holding. 

Two BNSF employees were taken to the hospital for minor injuries and one was treated on scene and released.

An Environmental Protection Agency coordinator and the the Texas Commission on Environmental Quaity will lead an investigation with BNSF.

http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2011-09-16/officials-say-railca...

Update: Gas leak caused Northeast El Paso house fire that injured three

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_18913209?source=most_emailed

Dead, missing in South Rumaila station blast

Excess gas is flared at the Rumaila oil field in Basra, as workers look on. (ATEF HASSAN/Reuters)

There was at least one explosion at a degassing station in Iraq's power-horse Rumaila oil field near the Kuwaiti border when a pipeline was set ablaze during maintenance, and shutting in at least part of field's production.

The station belongs to the state-run South Gas Co., but will affect the output of the Rumaila oil field, operated by BP and the China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) in a development deal signed with the state-run South Oil Co. in late 2009.

http://www.iraqoilreport.com/oil/production-exports/dead-missing-in...

Oil Rig Explodes in Oklahoma, No Reports of Injuries

Published September 20, 2011 

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/20/oil-rig-explodes-in-oklahoma-n...

The great explosions of Iraq's oil fields has started.

What sequence of events will occur up until the severe 270° roll occurs we will hold in abeyance, in order to best discombobulate the establishment. They are still clinging to the notion that they will commandeer all the oil fields of the world, guarded by the US Military, black gold to be used as the next commodity in the future when survivors will sell their children and their freedoms in order to stay warm. Black gold to run the war machines of the world, ensuring world domination to he who owns the oil fields. That Iraq is in tatters and all tapped oil fields will explode into fireballs and all oil tanks likewise rupture and be disbursed has not occurred to these megalomaniacs. They are still clinging to the notion that a passage might happen without the severe Earth changes we have predicted, and want their paper ownership of the world to remain intact until that notion is disproved, utterly. Beach property, the solvency of banks and nations, corporate equity and the false value placed on commodities, all to retain their worth until the shores are awash and the cities in dust. Meanwhile, they lay their plans, prepare for their families, and plot how to enslave the common man whom they assume will be taken by surprise, and therefore be vulnerable. But what is the common man expecting, and aware of? In every culture, in every country, there is some clue of the coming times in folklore and prophecy.

In every case, this leads with the worst, descriptions of the final convulsions the Earth will go through on her way to rebirth. In every case, there are signs to look for when this time draws near. In every case, there is no clear indication of the date. In this regard, ZetaTalk did not differ from what existed in folklore and prophecy, describing the hour of the shift and heralding signs and declining to name a date. We have described increasing weather swings of drought and deluge, switching about for seemingly no reason, since 1995, and these have occurred. We have described earthquakes and volcanic activity increasing on a linear basis up until the last days, with the cover-up of this increase and lack of media attention keeping pace, and this likewise has occurred. We have described problems with maintaining satellites in the months before the pole shift, and this has become apparent to the common man even with extensive backup systems sent aloft to guard against this. We have described what signs the common man should look for, in order to time his escape to safety, and described in great detail what traps to avoid and how to prepare for the Aftertime. Regardless of what sequence of events will occur between now and then, he is armed. The breaches in the sequence of events, however, are designed to disarm the establishment, who will find themselves on a level, a par, with the common man they so disdain.

http://zetatalk5.com/index/blog0607.htm

Sheriff: Warnings helped workers reach safety before Okla. gas rig blast; homes evacuated

(no/Associated Press) - A drilling rig contracted by Enid’s Continental Resources burns southeast of Watonga, Okla., Tuesday Sept. 20, 2011. Authorities in Blaine County say an oil rig that exploded near Watonga and forced the evacuation of several homes caused no injuries.

Tuesday, September 20, 2:51 PM

“It was a very huge fireball coming from the rig, and it’s still burning,” Ainsworth said Tuesday. “It has settled down some, but it’s definitely still burning.”

Continental spokeswoman Kristin Miskovsky said the well could keep burning for several days before the damaged rig can be cleared and the fire extinguished.

The explosion and ensuing fire forced the evacuation of about 20 homes within a two-mile radius, Ainsworth said. Some residents were allowed to return home but those living closest to the rig were not. A shelter was set up at the Blaine County fairgrounds for displaced residents.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and a well-control team was brought to the site to assess the situation, Miskovsky said.

Patterson-UTI Drilling LLC owns and operates the rig, but Continental Resources is the operator of the well, Miskovsky said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/sheriff-warnings-helped-work...

Thanks Star and Kojima for this excellent and timely compilation!

During the current and particularly the forthcoming plate movements, this will be an almost constant affair, I fear. Gas lines are everywhere! And it will be after the fact that gas mains are turned off, after the big explosions. People have become dependent upon natural gas, so clean, lines up and down every street. Very scary.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-09-18/news/bs-md-briefs-explo...

Man injured in suspected gas blast in Newcastle

The roof of the house collapsed in the explosion

A man is in hospital with serious injuries after a suspected gas explosion at a house in Newcastle.

Police said the 38-year-old suffered "potentially life-threatening injuries" in the blast in the city's Sceptre Street early on Wednesday.

Six neighbouring properties were evacuated as firefighters tackled a blaze following the explosion. There were no other reported injuries.

A joint police and fire service investigation into the cause has begun.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-14998864

GAS LEAK

Clark Co. Gas Line Rupture Heard Several Counties Away

Posted: Sep 21, 2011 5:25 AM 
Updated: Sep 21, 2011 7:26 AM

People across several counties heard the rumbling sound early Wednesday morning. It shook the ground and rattled windows.

A gas line ruptured just after midnight in Clark County, near the Powell County line. People as far away as Lee County heard the noise, and the LEX 18 newsroom was flooded with calls.

Herman Cole lives nearby.

"All I heard was a big pop sound and a big roar sound. I thought it was a motorcycle outside my door. So it was pretty loud," he said. "It was really roaring and it got louder and louder. No major explosion or anything," he said.

The rupture occurred in a commercial transmission line near Irvine Road. It took crews several hours to find the break and shut off the flow of gas. But officials say there was never an actual explosion. There were no injuries or evacuations, and since the line does not serve the public, there was no interruption of service.

Crews from the Tennessee Gas Company continue working to inspect and repair the line. Officials with the company have not given a timetable for repairs.

Fire officials say this wasn't the first incident involving these particular gas lines. There was a rupture four years ago and a deadly incident 50 years back.

http://www.lex18.com/news/clark-co-gas-line-rupture-heard-several-c...

Gas explosion: city building evacuated

Watch

Raw footage: Inside a gas explosion

A building in the Perth CBD has been evacuated after a suspected gas explosion shook the high-rise tower this afternoon.

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A BUILDING in the Perth CBD has been evacuated after a suspected gas explosion shook the high-rise tower this afternoon.

Workers inside the building, at 172 St Georges Terrace,  were lucky to escape injury when a gas hot water boiler exploded at about 3.45pm, blowing office equipment and furniture across the room.

FESA Perth District Manager John Truswell said workers in State One House at the corner of King Street  reported a strong smell of gas in the building about 2pm.

Thirty firefighters from four stations were called when the combined hot water boiler/cooler malfunctioned and exploded in the Level 2 kitchen almost two hours later.

``There were people working around it, but they were lucky there were no injuries at all just a lot of furniture blown around the room,'' Mr Truswell said.

``It's blown the cupboard to pieces and bl

Gas pipeline ruptures The Tennessee Gas Pipeline ruptured in rural Clark County late Tuesday, waking up people counties away. Posted: 12:59 AM Sep 21, 2011  Gas pipeline ruptures

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Constant_rumbling_wakes_up_Kentu...

Two dead in Colombia coal mine explosion: official

BOGOTA (MarketWatch) -- Two miners died, three more were wounded and several more could be trapped underground in a coal mining explosion in Colombia, the latest tragedy in a series of deadly mining accidents.

Fabian Morales, the head of rescue operations at mining regulator Ingeominas, said the accident was apparently the result of an explosion of methane gas in a coal mine located in the department of Boyaca, near Bogota.

Morales added that the rescue team had yet been unable to determine how many other miners had been trapped by the explosion. So far this year, 106 workers have died in mining accidents in Colombia.

Colombia is the world's fifth-largest coal exporter and its production destined for abroad is controlled by foreign companies including Alabama-based Drummond Co., Glencore International AG (GLDLF, GLEN.LN), BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP, BHP.AU) and Xstrata PLC (XTA.LN), which operate in open-pit coal mines.

But most of the deadly mining accidents in Colombia occur in small, underground coal mines operated by individuals or small local companies that have few safety procedures in place. The output from most of these mines is destined for the domestic market.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-dead-in-colombia-coal-mine-exp...

Explosion, 3-alarm blaze at Gas Station

USA — An employee of Burnwell Gas was injured Tuesday after an explosion and a three-alarm blaze at the company’s facility, 1104 Main St.

The extent of the man’s injuries is unclear due to conflicting reports, but the man was lucid when he was discovered at the scene, State Police Lt. Doug Montijo said. The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Witnesses reported the smell of gas for about two hours prior to the explosion, Montijo said, adding that the building was destroyed.

The Monroe County Fire Bureau is investigating the cause of the blaze.

The fire at the plant started about 3 p.m. The facility is a storage and distribution site for home heating fuel. Burnwell, part of Griffith Energy, services the Monroe, Livingston and Ontario county areas.

Burnwell released a statement confirming that an employee had been injured. “We are and will of course continue to work with community authorities to identify and address the causes of this situation,” the statement read in part.

At the scene, Keith Wrisley, vice president of Superior Plus Energy Services Inc., parent company of Burnwell, said the employee’s injuries appear to be non-life-threatening.

The storage capacity for the Burnwell site is 58,000 gallons of fuel, Mike Burnside, chief of the Mumford Fire Department, said. It’s unclear how much fuel burned or exploded.

“The largest tanks — 30,000, 18,000 and 10,000 gallons — were not affected by the fire and explosion,” he said.

Nearby homes and businesses were evacuated and traffic was shut down in all directions. The state Department of Transportation closed Route 36 in both directions between George Street and Caledonia High School for hours.

Several explosions occurred, and at one point, firefighters were ordered to back up beyond 1,000 feet of the fire for fear of additional blasts. Firefighters doused several large intact propane tanks with water to keep them from igniting, Montijo said.

Flames could be seen for miles and explosions heard for more than a mile, witnesses said.

Mary and Jody Pitt live on Williams Street, about a quarter mile from the scene. Mary Pitt said she didn’t see the explosion but she felt it. “We felt our house shake,” she said, and left the house to see a sky filled with black smoke.

“I was in Scottsville and you could see the smoke from there,” said Wheatland Highway Superintendent Chuck Hazelton, estimating the distance to be about eight miles from the Burnwell plant.

The Caledonia-Mumford school district enacted its emergency procedures and kept some buses at

Gas Leak Causes Arkwright Fire

September 23, 2011| 

http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/591404/Gas-Leak-Causes-Arkwright-Fire.html?nav=5069

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POMPTON LAKES - Three explosions and a fire in a garage at 55 Schuyler Ave. early on the morning of Friday, Sept. 23, resulted in evacuations on Schuyler and Jefferson avenues.

A passerby reported flames shooting as high as 10 feet as a result of the blaze that heavily damaged a garage detached from the Wagner residence at 55 Schuyler.

According to a police report, Patrolman Jonathan Williams observed the garage engulfed in flames as he responded to a neighbor's call for help shortly after midnight.

While approaching the residence, Williams further reports that he heard a loud explosion coming from the garage, which he observed was followed by two more explosions.

At that point, Williams said he began evacuating homes on Schuyler while another officer did the same on Jefferson Avenue. Officers escorted occupants away from the homes and confirmed that the residences were empty.

Homeowner Peter Wagner said he was unaware of the fire in the back of his home. Initially he thought it was a car accident. Then he also heard the explosions which he originally thought was gunfire.

"I heard the (the police officer) shout 'Get out' and I thought they were shooting each other," Wagner recalled. "The cop who I knew banged on the door and said, 'Get the kids out of the house.'"

Wagner advised police that the garage contained gas cans, motorcycles, and a natural gas line to a heater. Among his losses was 1984 Harley Davidson, a quad, a refrigerator, and some tools. The heat from the fire also melted the vinyl siding on the back of his house.

Also at the scene were the Pompton Lakes Fire Department, Riverdale police officers, and the Passaic County Sheriff's Department.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/130424913_Early_morning_fire_in_Pom...

RIDGEWOOD – An early morning underground explosion that partially blew a manhole cover at the corner of North Walnut Street and Franklin Avenue was still under repair on Friday with officials from Public Service Electric and Gas at the scene.

THOMAS E. FRANKLIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PSE&G workers remove the manhole cover where an explosion was reported at 905am at the intersection of Franklin Ave & N Walnut St in Ridgewood. Ridgewood police chief John Ward said there were sporadic reported outages around town.

“Apparently there was enough force to rip up the manhole cover partially and leave it ajar,” said Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward from the scene of the 9:05 a.m. explosion. “Initial reports were some flames and smoke coming out of the manhole.”

Police and firefighters from the village responded to the area. There were also reports of sporadic power outages at the same time from Linwood and Van Dien avenues and the area of 1200 East Ridgewood Avenue.

Crews from PSE&G later arrived at the scene.

“We couldn’t definitely say if that was related, but it seems to be because (the call) came in at the same time,” Ward said.

The Valley Hospital had power, Ward said.

Utility crews were working Friday afternoon to check for any residual effects of the explosion and would work to drain water from the area, police said. There had been some unconfirmed reports of a light odor of natural gas and environmental officials were also at the scene — which is near a fuel station — early Friday afternoon.

“This looks like it was electrical related,” Ward said. “These manholes are basically sealed. If there is an explosion in there, there are large currents down there. It’s a confined space…any kind of electrical explosion ?  is going to push the manhole up.”

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