http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/45592/Refinery-explosion-ca...

Refinery explosion caused by fuel leak

An explosion and fire at a crude oil refinery in the central Canadian province of Saskatchewan has injured 10 people. Eight were taken to hospital to be treated for burns, whilst two were treated at the site.

At the time of the explosion at Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Ltd. (CCRL), located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, between 400 and 450 refinery employees and around 1,000 contractors were working in the area.

An unnamed foreman for Chemco electrical contractors, who had 250 employees on site, described the incident. "The explosion went up about 250 feet in the air - it was a huge fireball. I notified everybody by radio that there was a big explosion on the unit Your biggest fear is that you won't get everybody out safely."

Cameron Keller, an insulator with Fulleraustin, a subcontractor for CCRL, was working near the site of the explosion when he heard popping sounds. "It sounded like a cap popping off a beer bottle and then all of a sudden there was tons of black smoke and big waves of fire going straight up. The alarms went off and we all ran out. We were two plants away and we didn't feel the heat, but we had some guys in Unit 11 and they felt the heat right above them."

CCRL is in the middle of a $1.9-billion expansion project, the biggest project in the refinery's history and what is believed to be the largest-ever project in Regina. The expansion will increase the refinery's capacity from 100,000 barrels a day to 130,000 when it is completed in 2012. It is expected that capacity could be further increased by 15,000 barrels per day by 2016.

However, the explosion occurred in an older area of the refinery, which is being revamped. Gilbert Le Dressay, the refinery's manager of safety, environment and training and the incident commander, commented: "This is an area where we're replacing equipment, but this equipment is still monitored and repaired as normal.” Le Dressay added that gas detection monitors in the affected area prompted the alarm system, meaning that personnel were immediately evacuated.

It is understood that the explosion occurred in a unit that was involved in processing diesel fuel. A leak in a high-pressure pipe carrying diesel and hydrogen caused the release of diesel fuel and hydrogen gas, which ignited.

Investigators are still looking into the biggest explosion and fire at the plant since August 1990.

An early-morning cable fire caused a small manhole explosion just feet away from the 50th Precinct and left much of Kingsbridge Avenue between West 236th and West 238th streets without power for more than 12 hours.

Power was restored around 2 p.m. but through-traffic is still blocked off.

A Con Edison employee at the scene said at 1:41 a.m. this morning, a shorted feeder cable caused an explosion, which burst through a manhole.

The Five-O is unaffected but residents of 3605 Kingsbridge Ave. and 11 businesses on the block, including the Riverdale Diner, Domino’s Pizza and T and Y Wines and Spirits, have no power or gas.

While the two eateries are closed, a clerk at T and Y Wines and Spirits said the store will continue to operate until it gets dark.

A Con Ed representative said electricity will likely be restored by the end of the day, but did not comment on when gas service will return. Chris Marche, who lives at 3605 Kingsbridge Ave., said he was told there would be no gas for at least two days but added that mild temperatures should make the situation bearable.

Mike Berry, a Kingsbridge resident who witnessed the explosion from down the block, said flames were shooting out of the ground.

“The lights on the car wash started flickering, then the bulbs on the diner started flickering … and then down the block, just past the intersection, boom. It had green and blue and red sparks and everything coming out,” Mr. Berry said. “Literally, within three minutes, you had six, maybe seven, FDNY [trucks].”

http://riverdalepress.com/stories/Manhole-explosion-causes-gas-powe...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 13, 2011

Pipeline explosion in Kenya kills at least 75 people, injures more than 100

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Overview of gas pipeline explosion: Mukuru-Sinai slums of Nairobi, Kenya

http://www.unitar.org/unosat/node/44/1592

ANALYSIS SUMMARY: This analysis is based on an assessment of satellite imagery recorded on 22nd September 2011 following a gas pipeline explosion that took place on 12th September 2011, within the Mukuru-Sinai slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Analysis revealed that the explosion took place in the highly congested Mukuru-Sinai slums along the river Ngongo. This is a preliminary damage assessment, and it is likely to represent a reliable minimum estimate; the actual building damages within this area are likely to be larger.

 Satellite Data (2): WV02/QB02 

Imagery Dates: 20/11/2010, 22/09/2011 

Resolution : 0.5 m/0.6 m 

Copyright:DigitalGlobe 2011 

Source: FirstLook 

Analysis : UNITAR / UNOSAT 

Production: UNITAR / UNOSAT 

Analysis conducted with ArcGIS v10.0 

Projection: UTM Zone 37 N

Gas leak causes blast in Quetta, 2 injured

Two people were present inside the house when the explosion took place.

PESHAWAR: Two people were injured in what seems to be an accidental explosion casued by gas leakage in a house in Quetta, Express 24/7 reported on Wednesday. 

Police say a massive explosion took place in the Killi Badezai area of Quetta after gas accumulated inside a house caused an explosion.

Initial reports say two people were present inside the house when the explosion took place.

Both occupants were injured in the incident and are being treated in hospital.

The explosion spread fear among residents of the area in fear that the blast may be the work of terrorists.

The blast destroyed the house and shattered window-panes of nearby buildings.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/277223/gas-leak-causes-blast-in-quetta-...

Massive blaze: 4 dead, dozens homeless

Search resultsHousehold gas explodes in residential building in BronnitsyHousehold gas explodes in residential building in Bronnitsy (RIA Novosti/Alexander Utkin)

Dozens of apartment block fire survivors have been left without permanent residence in late autumn, as rescue workers recover the fourth body from the debris.

­Though at present they are unable to determine the body’s identity, this is the last of the four people that were previously unaccounted for.

Another four tenants are in hospital with various injuries, with the overall number of those who sought medical attention reaching 21. However, most suffered not from burns, but from exacerbation of existing conditions caused by injuries and stress.

The fire broke out in a five-storey apartment block on Monday at 3:45pm Moscow time (11:45 GMT) in the town of Bronnitsy, just southeast of Moscow. Triggered by what is suspected to be a gas explosion on the fourth floor of the building, serious damage resulted.

Overlaps between the third and fourth floors and some of the upper outside walls collapsed, with fire then quickly spreading to some 20 apartments.

The blaze was extinguished in the early hours of Tuesday.

Rescue operations continue on Wednesday, with some 200 emergency workers involved, as well as 60 vehicles, which still have about half of the debris to clear.

Overall the 1987-built complex accommodated about 170 people. Most of them have been taken in by relatives, while others have been given temporary accommodation.

Meanwhile, the Moscow Region Investigative Committee is investigating a case of “causing death due to negligence,” its representative told Interfax.

http://rt.com/news/fire-four-dead-bronnitsy-175/

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/highlands-islands/275573-explosion-and-...

Fire: Crew called to two incidents at factory in one day. Pic: © STV

Fire crew have tackled an explosion and a fire at a malting company in the Highlands.

Staff at Bairds Malt in Inverness had to be evacuated following the dust explosion at around 12.30pm on Thursday.

Nobody was injured in the explosion but gas and electricity were switched off at the industrial site on Longman Drive.

Fire crew used breathing apparatus, a main jet and a hose-reel jet to tackle the incident, believed to be a dust explosion in a combustion chamber.

The fire brigade were called out to the malting company premises two hours later to deal with a separate fire in the roof space.

A fire brigade spokeswoman said: "It appeared the first call was a dust explosion in an industrial building. We are investigating and will be liaising with site engineers.

"At 2.48pm we got another call to say there was a separate fire there, this time in the roof space."

A Northern Constabulary spokesman said no roads had to be closed while dealing with the incident.

The company, formed in 1999, has an annual production capacity of 255,000 tonnes of malt

I don't quite know what a dust explosion is but ........

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/transjakarta-driver-badly-injur...

Another bus explosion

TransJakarta Driver Badly Injured in Explosion
Zaky Pawas | October 20, 2011

The driver of a TransJakarta bus that exploded in the Pinang Ranti shelter on Thursday was critically injured, an official with the bus operator said.

The bus, which serves Corridor IX running from east to north, was filling up on gas at the TransJakarta refuelling station (SPBBG) installed at the shelter when a hissing noise was heard.

“The bus was refueling at 8:20 a.m. and the noise came from below the bus,” Sri Ulina, TransJakarta’s spokeswoman told the Jakarta Globe.

The hissing sound was followed by a loud explosion.

The driver, Yusaf, the bus attendant, Malinda, and a refueling station attendant, Sugianto, were injured.

“Yusuf was badly injured and his legs were broken while Malinda and Sugianto sustained minor injuries,” Sri said.

The three victims were rushed to Asrama Haji Hospital in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.

The explosion also damaged the bus and the shelter.

Police officers are still conducting an investigation at the scene.

“The police and the Director General of Oil and Gas are here to find out the cause of the explosion,” Sri said.

The refueling station in Pinang Ranti shelter is one of four stations owned by TransJakarta.

“Pinang Ranti is temporarily closed but drivers can still refuel at our stations on Jalan Pemuda in East Jakarta, Pancoran in the south and Jalan Siliwangi in Depok,” she said.

Shopping center evacuated after crews hit gas line

Posted: Oct 21, 2011 2:40 PM EDT

LOVES PARK (WREX) - A shopping center has to be evacuated when construction crews accidentally hit a gas line in the ground.

The Loves Park Fire Chief, Phil Foley, tells 13 News around 12:30 construction crews were resurfacing the parking lot outside the Harlem Shopping Center at Harlem and Alpine when one of the workers struck and ripped out a gas line.  The 2-inch main was blowing gas directly into the front door of the Dollar Tree store there.

The fire department made everyone leave the entire shopping center.  Nicor responded to take a reading of the air and called it a "level 3."  A "level 5" indicates a risk of explosion.  Crews had to ventilate the building.

As of 1:30 p.m., people were being let back into the shopping center, but Nicor still has the gas shut off to the complex

http://www.wrex.com/story/15768485/shopping-center-evacuated-after-...

Gas Leak in Belgrano

Last night, a forklift hit a gas pipe on a construction site in Belgrano. The collision led to an explosion and fires continue in the area today. The construction work was headed by a government-owned company Metrogas.

Three Metrogras personnel were left injured after the collision caused an explosion and the workers tried to fix the leaking pipe. The victims were taken to the Piovano Hospital immediately.

The accident took place at Monroe Street 2750. Metrogas said the leaking “won’t bring graver danger,” and the Federal Police assured that “the fire is under control”.  The statement came before another gas leak occurred this morning in Arcos 2800.

Two blocks in the area have been evacuated as several firemen and emergency city hall personnel are working to control the fire.

http://www.argentinaindependent.com/currentaffairs/newsfromargentin...

http://www.gtowntimes.com/local/Fire-destroys-St--Stephen-AME-Churc...

Published Sunday, October 23, 2011 9:11 AM

The flames had already caused part of the church to collapse before firefighters arrived.

 

Members held an impromptu prayer service outside the leveled church Sunday morning

The congregation of St. Stephen AME Church was expecting to attend a service today honoring their stewards and trustees today.

Instead, they were awakened by the news that their historic church was fully engulfed in flames.

The fire at the historic church — pastored by State Rep. Carl Anderson — was reported at around 7 a.m. after nearby residents reported hearing a loud explosion.

Darrin Lawyer, a member of the church who lives across Winyah Street, said he called 911.

“I heard a boom that sounded like a car explosion,” he said. “I looked outside and the whole street was orange.”

Assistant Fire Chief Bill Johnson said the cause of the fire is unknown and the investigation has been turned over to the Georgetown Police Department.

Johnson said it will be up to police to determine if the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division needs to be called in to expand the investigati

Gas explosion destroys southern Kalispell home

Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake

House explosion

Fire crews assess damage of a house that was destroyed by an explosion Saturday afternoon.

 

Neighbors felt their houses shake as an enormous gas explosion blew apart a house on the south side of Kalispell Saturday.

No one was hurt in the noon explosion that buckled the walls, the garage door and collapsed the roof at the rear of the house at 2358 Coot Court. Nearby homes were rained with insulation, and a subsequent fire that put off a column of black smoke melted the siding of a neighboring home.

“We felt it,” said Rick Wills, who lives less than a block away. “I thought it happened in my back yard. I could see flames. You could see the walls were folded out. The roof was gone. It was huge. It was a big boom.”

“It was a scary, big noise,” said neighbor Pat Fleming.

Her husband, Robert Fleming, said he was looking out a picture window at their home when he saw a flash and heard the noise. He said his house and yard were covered in insulation.

The explosion and fire and large response of Kalispell Fire Department, South Kalispell Fire Department, the Whitefish Fire Department, Evergreen Fire and Rescue and the Smith Valley Fire Department attracted dozens of onlookers, some who were hopeful that no one was inside because there was no vehicle in the garage.

 “No one was home at the time of the explosion,” said Kalispell Fire Chief Dave Dedman. “We have confirmation the husband is hunting.”

And evidently, the wife was away when it happened but was in the vicinity of the home afterwards.

“I don’t know if she came home to it or what,” Dedman said.

When firefighters arrived they could not immediately approach the home because the gas was still turned on, and the gas meter at the rear of the home was ruptured and spewing flames.

“There was a large amount of fire coming from that,” Dedman said, adding that once the gas was turned off, firefighters were able to move in and knock down the fire.

Northwest Energy personnel were on the scene monitoring for leaks that might threaten other homes. Dedman said the area appeared to be secure, and the cause of the gas leak wasn’t immediately known.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/82352/huge-gas-leak-trigge...

http://photos.mlive.com/flint-journal/2011/10/house_explosion_at_bu...

House explosion at Buder and Saginaw street in Burton

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/gas-leak-disruption-stretches-hospi...

• 
  Hospital bed - Source: Thinkstock

The impact of a gas leak in Taranaki is beginning to hit North Island hospitals.

The gas line which links the Maui gas field to the upper North Island closed this morning after gas began escaping from the pipeline in north Taranaki.

While residential gas users in the areas north of King Country and in the Bay of Plenty are not affected, some of the country's biggest industrial giants, such as Fonterra, Fletcher Building, Auckland District Health Board, and now Waikato District Health Board, are.

Waikato DHB has issued a call for its hospitals to ration laundry supplies due to their Waikato contractor being forced to curtail gas use because of the leak.

The Waikato contractor also services Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau DHBs. Auckland DHB has already cease its laundry operations.

An emergency management team has been put in place, and patients coming into Waikato hospitals are being asked to bring their own named pyjamas, nighties, towels and facecloths.

The hospital campus' usual launder service, Spotless Facility Services, will be working around the clock and only focusing on essential items, such as sterile supplies and scrubs, sheets, pillowcases, blankets and linen bags.

Wards are also being encouraged to use disposable cloths and nappies.

Vector has said that it will be midday Wednesday before it can start excavating around the site of a gas leak.

A further team of geotech experts are currently heading to White Cliffs north of New Plymouth, where the leak occurred, to survey the site before any digging can begin to make repairs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-pearce-rotondi/4-train-evacua...

More troubles in the NYC subway system.

I turned down a drink last night in favor of catching an earlier train home; little did I know my decision would lead to a one and a half hour ordeal featuring a still-unexplained explosion, very real smoke, an underground evacuation and emergency personnel.

It was a little after 9:30 pm when I boarded the 4 train to Brooklyn from Fulton Street. I remember glancing up from my Kindle at Bowling Green to reassure myself we were making progress; it was my first time on the 4 in awhile and I just wanted to be home. All seemed normal and I went back to my reading when what sounded like an explosion ripped through the car -- definitely not a sound you want to hear while in a black tunnel under the East River. The train shuddered and came to a halt. That's when the car enclosing me began to fill up with thick, odd-smelling smoke.

Then the ventilation system shut down. A few passengers started to panic and opened the doors on either side of the car in an attempt to get more air, which only made the car fill up with the foul-smelling smoke more quickly. Other passengers yelled at them to stop."It's coming from the tunnel!" someone shouted.

As the air in the car slowly turned gray, passengers began to cover their mouths with scarfs and sweaters. Unsettlingly, one man pulled on a gas mask and the person next to me whispered that it seemed like he was prepared for whatever was about to happen -- perhaps too prepared (he's by car door to left in this photo:)

Passengers began to speculate about what was going on. A few made nervous jokes while others appeared to close their eyes in prayer or thought or both. I hadn't been to church in years, but found myself clasping my hands in a pose that recalled my Grandmother Mary whenever she heard bad news. I pulled my turtleneck over my lips in an attempt to ventilate the stale air and told myself to breathe.

Was this it? The two year anniversary of my mother's death is Saturday; what will my Dad do alone? Would my sister have to come home from Germany, where she'd finally been carving a life out for herself? Did I really just spend the last night of my life getting drinks with a finance guy?

A woman in her late 20s calmly walked over and pushed the red emergency "talk" button that you always stare at when you forget reading mat

Maui gas pipe ruptures

JONATHAN CAMERON/Fairfax NZ

TROUBLED TIMES: Workers at the Oaonui gas plant.

Gas industry experts face a frantic mission today to find and fix a gasline rupture crippling industry in the top half of the North Island.

The Maui gas pipeline, which runs from the Maui production station at Oanui and feeds gas to much of the North Island, was closed early yesterday morning when a leak was discovered near White Cliffs north of Urenui.

By lunchtime the closure of the line forced 15 of Fonterra's northern factories reliant on gas to shut down or only partly operate, and Waikato dairy farmers last night began dumping milk.

Other industries also began to suffer and Employers and Manufacturers Association manufacturing manager Bruce Goldsworthy described the situation as "a bloody disaster".

At this stage residential supplies are not affected.

Hekia Parata, the acting Energy Minister, travelled to New Plymouth for briefings on the crisis.

Last night pipeline operator Vector could not say when gas would be turned back on. Although the leak has been isolated to a section of pipe near White Cliffs, spokeswoman Sandy Hodge did know the extent or type of damage suffered by the pipe.

"For safety reasons a full excavation of the pipe cannot be undertaken until a detailed site evaluation has been carried out. We need to have a careful look at the pipeline before we bring diggers in," Ms Hodge said.

She said engineers were working on "every scenario they can come up with" on what type of fix the pipe will need so repairing can begin as soon as the fault is understood.

That fix might be known as early as 7am today, when Vector makes the day's first announcement on what is happening at the leak site.

Ms Hodge said the leak had not posed an explosion risk and as far as she knew it was the first time the pipeline had been comproMised.

Yesterday residents near the pipeline on Pukearuhe Rd reported hearing a huge roar of gas being vented but little else.

"They were blowing stuff through there today. It made a hell of a noise. A big roar," said Ian Besley.

"There was a message on my phone from Vector to say they were doing something. They had some sort of problem."

Mr Besley said he had heard the pipeline being vented in the past and did not think it unusual.

Neighbour Michael Kuriger said Vector called his wife in the morning to say there had been a major leak and they might be flaring off some gas. But it was only the appearance of a Taranaki Daily News car on Pukearuhe Rd that made him think anything unusual might be going on.

continues at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/5851498/Maui-gas-pi...

Weston house wrecked in gas heater explosion

Firefighters will begin an investigation in the explosion later

Two people escaped with minor injuries when a gas explosion wrecked a house in Somerset.

Firefighters were called to the house in Brean Down Avenue, Weston-super-Mare, at 19:45 BST on Tuesday.

An investigation by Avon Fire and Rescue concluded the explosion was caused by a portable butane gas heater.

The front of the house has been destroyed and is now structurally unsound - forcing the evacuation of a neighbouring property.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-15459532

Utility finds 4 more natural gas leaks in Seattle

Utility crews have found a total of eight natural gas leaks in the north Seattle neighborhood where a home exploded, injuring two residents in a two-alarm fire.

The pipes have been dug up for repair, Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Martha Monfried said Tuesday.

More than two dozen utility employees were using sniffer equipment to sweep the area within five miles of Monday's blast.

Four of the leaks have been linked to electrical arcing initiated when a tree knocked down a high-voltage power line Sunday. The utility believes this is what caused the holes to the service line of the destroyed home.

One leak is under investigation and the other three are not related to the downed tree.

Puget Sound Energy said it surveys its entire coverage area every day with trucks and people. The utility has conducted extra surveys over the last two days in a 5-square mile area near the site of the explosion.

David Ingham, one of the two people injured in the explosion and fire has been released from the hospital, Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Tuesday. Ingham's wife, Hong, remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit.

Damage from the blast is estimated at $350,000, Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore said.

The utility has 750,000 natural gas customers in five counties.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9Q1H8B01.htm

 

Neighbors hear explosion before central Toledo fire

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - A vacant central Toledo house fire that began early Wednesday has been ruled as arson.

Neighbors say they heard an explosion and looked out to see the house on fire in the 1200 block of Prospect near Detroit Avenue. This was just after 1 a.m.

Investigators say there is evidence of some sort of explosion because the vent covers were all blown off of the wall. A gas can was also found by the house.

http://www.wtol.com/story/15876445/neighbors-hear-explosion-before-...

Mother and daughter die in Swiss gas blast

Published: 27 Oct 2011 11:36 GMT+1

One of the victims of a gas explosion in southwest Switzerland that killed two people on Tuesday has been identified as a 31-year-old mother named as Yassouda.

DNA tests are expected to show that the second body was that of her 5-year-old daughter Odyssea. 

Yassouda was at her home in Yverdon-les-Bains when the explosion rocked the building where she lived with the child and the girl's father.

Yassouda’s partner, Alexandre Debons, told newspaper 24 Heures that his girlfriend had called him at around 12.30pm and said that she has just put out her cigarette because the kitchen smelled of gas.

“Since our flat it is not connected to gas, I just told her to open the windows and ventilate the room,” Debons told the newspaper.

An hour later, a powerful explosion destroyed half of the building on rue Neuchâtel 39, in the centre of the town in canton Vaud.

Fourteen other people were injured, mainly by broken glass and debris. Police said 15 flats, all on the fourth and fifth floors, would be uninhabitable for several months after the building's facade was ripped off in the blast.

Investigators have not yet confirmed the cause of the accident, though several witnesses have told police that they smelled gas minutes before the explosion

http://www.thelocal.ch/1589/20111027/#

Coal mine blast leaves 7 dead, 11 missing

ZHENGZHOU – Seven people have died and 11 others remain missing following a gas explosion early Thursday at a coal mine in central China’s Henan Province.

A gas rush hit the Jiulishan Coal Mine in the city of Jiaozuo shortly after midnight, said a spokesman with the provincial work safety authority.

At that time, 18 workers were working underground in the mine, which belongs to Henan Coal and Chemical Industry Group, the province’s largest state-owned mining company.

Seven workers have been confirmed dead, and the search for the 11 missing people was hampered by the high level of gas in the mine, the spokesman said.

Rescuers have installed ventilation machines and are speeding up the process of dredging the coal ore which was preventing rescuers from approaching the missing workers.

*

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-10/27/content_13991115.htm

The field has been in operation since 1962, producing 120,000 barrels of crude a day. The report said firefighters brought the blaze under control.

Increasing incidents of explosions have hit Iran’s oil and gas sector recently, but authorities rarely provide explanations for them.

The news agency said another fire Friday at Iran’s Arak refinery some 180 miles (300 kilometers) southwest of Tehran set off an explosion. There were no reports of casualties.

Majid Rajabi, head of the refinery, told Iran’s state radio that there was no fire or explosion in the operational part of the refinery. He said the fire might have been linked to contractors’ work on development projects.

Iran is OPEC’s second largest oil exporter, and sits atop 137 billion barrels of conventional crude oil. It also holds the world’s second largest natural gas reserves — roughly 28 trillion cubic meters.

Some 80 percent of the country’s foreign revenue comes from exporting oil.

Most of Iran’s pipelines are decades old and suffer from lack of maintenance and frequent technical failures. Also, there have been occasional cases of sabotage, mostly in northwest Iran, near the Turkish border.

In August, an explosion hit an oil pipeline in Iran’s oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan, a week after an explosion struck a major pipeline carrying gas to Turkey.

That blast, which temporarily cut the gas flow, took place in morning hours near a border crossing. No one was injured. Authorities blamed it on Kurdish rebels operating in the area.

In April, three explosions hit gas pipelines near the holy city of Qom in central Iran, briefly cutting the flow from Iran’s gas refineries in the south to the country’s northwest.

Similar explosions rocked the same pipelines in February. Officials at the time said the blasts were not caused by technical failures but did not say if they were acts of sabotage.

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5E7LS1LS20111028

Gas pipeline explodes in southwestern Iran, no casualty

A gas pipeline in Iran’s southwestern province of Khouzestan exploded Friday without causing any casualty, the official IRNA news agency reported.

A fire broke out around the city of Dogonbadan in the Keshab region after the pipeline, which carried gas from Pazran to the oil fields in Gatchsaran, exploded in the evening, said the report.

No casualty was reported due to the blast, while the emergency workers are trying to contain the fire, it said.

The cause of the explosion was still unknown, it said.

Another two blasts occurred in Iran Friday morning, hitting an oil field and a refinery respectively.

One worker was killed and three others were injured when a blast occurred at the Bibi Hakimeh oil field in the province of Khouzestan and caused a fire. The reason for the blast was also unclear, according to local Mehr news agency.

The state IRIB TV said later Friday that the fire at Bibi Hakimieh oil field was contained and two of the three wounded staff members were sent to a hospital in the southern Ghenaveh port for further treatments.

The other explosion and subsequent fire occurred at the Shahzand oil refinery in central Iran’s Markazi province.

The reason for the incident is not yet known, and there is no report yet about the possible casualty or degree of damage to the refinery, Mehr reported.

Since May, there have been several explosions and fire accidents in Iran’s refineries, oil fields and gas and oil pipelines.

http://www.siamdailynews.com/world-news/middle-east-news/2011/10/29...

Gas blamed for explosion at Adelaide theatre

Updated October 31, 2011 12:15:46

• 
  

Fire crews have ventilated gas from the Capri Theatre at Goodwood in Adelaide after an explosion.

The blast happened under the floorboards of the theatre just south of the city.

It dislodged a window of the building facing Goodwood Road.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus went into the building.

The Metropolitan Fire Service said there was a cleaner in the theatre at the time of the explosion, but no injuries were reported.

It says there may have been a build-up of methane or refrigeration gas in the premises.

Tanya works near the theatre and says she was startled by the sound of the blast.

"About a quarter to 10 there was just this really loud muffled bang at the Capri and the side door that faces Gilbert Street just blew open," she said.

"All this dust came out and then a guy in a pair of white overalls was using a fire extinguisher for quite some time.

"One of the windows facing Goodwood Road's got a major crack in it."

The Capri, built in the 1940s, is heritage listed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/capri-theatre-explosion/36100...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/explosion-in-south...

Explosion in southwest China kills at least 7 people, injures about 200

A policeman investigates the crater of an explosion in Fuquan, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Nov. 1, 2011. Two truck carrying dynamite exploded in Machangping township of Fuquan City. Seven people were confirmed dead and 260 others were injured in the explosion. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

GUIYANG, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Seven people have been confirmed dead and about 200 others injured in an explosion that occurred near a gas station in southwest China's Guizhou Province Tuesday, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 11:30 a.m., when two cargo trucks loaded with about 70 metric tons of explosives exploded in front of a motor vehicle testing station in the city of Fuquan, about 100 km from Guizhou's capital of Guiyang, according to the local rescue headquarters.

Windows shattered in nearby houses, and cars parked near the site were severely damaged. A nearby grain warehouse was seriously damaged as well.

A witness told Xinhua that the testing station was destroyed and a neighboring five-story residential building was severely damaged.

Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene swiftly after the blast occurred.

About 200 people have been rushed to a local hospital, 20 of whom are in critical condition, said a spokesman with the local rescue headquarters.

An investigation into the cause of the explosion is under way.

http://thedp.com/index.php/article/2011/11/gas_explosion_at_34th_lu...

 

34th and Ludlow streets.

---

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/16272120/article-House-explosion-rocks-Rossville-neighborhood?instance=home_news_lead

Charred debris is all that remains of a house at 1441 Mission Ridge Road in Rossville that exploded Wednesday night. (Messenger photo/Matt Ledger)

A loud explosion on Mission Ridge Road in Rossville occurred after 9 p.m. Wednesday, frightening neighbors with a sound that could be heard for miles.

A single-story Rossville home at 1441 Mission Ridge Road was leveled, according to Walker County fire marshal Waymond Westbrook.

The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined. Westbrook said he would return to the scene today with officials from the state fire marshal’s office to determine the reason the home ignited.

Both of the occupants of the rental house were not home at the time of the blast. Officials confirmed by phone that the two were elsewhere when the explosion occurred.

“We thought it was a gas station exploding,” a neighbor said. She lives two blocks away from the home, assuming that one of the three gas stations in the area was the cause of the loud noise.

The neighbor called 911 at 9:19 p.m., saying there was a big explosion and a fire next door.

Police set up a perimeter at the smoke-filled scene, stopping traffic and moving neighbors back due to a fear that another explosion could occur. This is standard procedure, Westbrook said.

http://times-news.com/latest_news/x459213779/Artemas-gas-explosion-forces-temporary-evacuation

November 3, 2011

No injuries in Artemas gas explosion but residents evacuated

ARTEMAS, Pa. — A building was destroyed and three vehicles were damaged early Thursday when an explosion of unknown origin occurred at a Columbia Gas Transmission pumping station. No one was injured butabout 100 residents were evacuated as a result of the 12:30 a.m. incident on Artemas Road.

The natural gas pipeline of the pumping station in Mann Township was shut down by Columbia Gas Transmission employees who live in the area.

Bedford County Emergency Management Director Dave Cubbison said it took four hours to control the fire. Flames reportedly shot hundreds of feet into the air when the explosion occurred.

The Allegany County 911 center was inundated with calls about the explosion. “We probably received about a hundred calls,” said acting 911 director Roger Bennett.

Sixteen volunteer fire units remained at the scene at 10:30 a.m.

Between 40 and 50 homes were evacuated because of the fire. The residents were returned to their homes by late Thursday morning.

Orleans Volunteer Fire Chief John Clingerman was the officer in charge at the scene. Numerous volunteer fire companies responded following alert by emergency centers in Allegany and Bedford counties.

The incident is reportedly being investigated by the Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. and the Federal Highway Administration, which has oversight of the pipelines.

“There was some sort of failure at the plant,” said Cubbison.

In early 2010, Columbia Gas Transmission met with about 70 residents who were concerned with a project that conducted seismic activities to create a three-dimensional image of the Artemas storage field. Officials then said that the goal was to improve the storage field and find ways to get the natural gas out of the ground quicker.

They also discussed the possibility of constructing additional wells at that time.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1104/1224307038433...

Man suffers burn injuries in Waterford gas blasts

THE SCENE of two gas explosions in Waterford which left one man with burn injuries remained cordoned off last night as emergency services worked to ensure that the area is safe.

The local man, in his 60s, was injured when a gas cylinder containing acetylene – which reaches extremely high temperatures when ignited with oxygen – exploded at a building used by Waterford Institute of Technology in an IDA industrial estate in Waterford city.

Investigations are under way into the cause of the incident which occurred at about 10am yesterday. After the initial explosion, a second occurred.

The Garda say a fire broke out as a result of the explosions but was brought under control “fairly quickly”.

Four nearby buildings had to be evacuated and traffic restrictions put in place while the fire service, the ESB, the Garda, An Bord Gáis and BOC industrial gases were called to inspect the scene and secure the area.

It is understood that the injured man, a staff member with Waterford Institute of Technology, suffered burns in the explosion.

He was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital and his condition was described as “comfortable”.

Waterford Institute of Technology estates manager Elaine Greenan said the college’s priority was to ensure the area was made safe as soon as possible.

She said the institute would assist the Health and Safety Authority in any way it could.

“We will also carry out our own internal investigation. The safety of staff and students is paramount and we will be doing everything possible to ensure that this type of incident cannot occur again.”

Gardaí remained on the scene in the evening. “We’re treating it as an industrial accident,” Supt Chris Delaney of Waterford Garda station said.

“The area is cordoned off and there will be a cordon in place for a period of 24 hours to make sure everything is safe.”

An area of about 200m in each direction from the site of the explosion was sealed off and was expected to remain off limits to the public until at least 10am today.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/11375471/one-dead-in-...

Police at the scene this morning. Picture: Sharon Smith

A young Irish backpacker has perished in a fire after a gas bottle explosion near New Norcia this morning.

It is understood the farmhand, aged in his 20s, was in the common room of the Mackie Hay Plant accommodation unit when the fire broke out about 4.30am.

Another 20 workers were asleep in the hostel when the blaze started. No-one else was injured.

A police spokesman said the incident happened on Glentromie-Yerecoin Road, 1km east of the Great Northern Highway, about 140km north of Perth.

The fire caused the roof collapsed, killing the man.

Outside the Gilmac Mackie hay export plant this morning, Sgt Ben Tomasini said the young men had worked at the farm for a month.

"He was certainly well liked by his work colleagues and his employer," Sgt Tomasini said. "The owners are very distressed and upset and their hearts have gone out to the man's family."

He said an investigation was underway to see what part the gas bottles played in the man's death.

A St John Ambulance spokesman confirmed the man died at the scene.

A woman, who worked nearby but did not want to be named, said the victim was a "really lovely boy and very well thought of".

Volunteer fire and rescue officers from Wongan Hills attended.

Arson squad officers are investigating.

Mission Ridge House Explosion: "99.9% Sure It's Gasoline"

Investigator Jerry Parrish of the State Fire Marshal's Arson Unit said he is "99 and nine tenths sure it is gasoline."

Parrish and other specialists are awaiting lab test results to make concrete confirmation on the Mission Ridge Road house explosion. Parrish said said the odor was very similar to gas and he "would be shocked" if it is not. However, he added, there is always "that margin of error."

Walker County Fire hasn't yet released its conclusion. Assistant Chief Waymond Westbrook said his department is awaiting results from a private lab that the insurance company is using.

However, Westbrook told NewsChannel 9 yesterday "they are 99 percent positive of what triggered this explosion" He added it's "probably criminal."

The explosion last Wednesday night shredded the house at 1441 Mission Ridge Road and rocked houses for several hundred feet.

Neighbors told authorities the house had been unoccupied for about three weeks. Renter Ricky Bethune and his son had been out of town in Michigan for a family matter.

After ruling out methane, natural gas and LP gas, investigators got the break they needed late yesterday afternoon. Assistant Chief Westbrook said crews took four samples to be analyzed.

The Georgia Fire Marshal's Office also took samples but doesn't expect results back for six to seven weeks because of backlog at the state crime lab in Decatur.

Last Friday, the Fire Marshal's accelerant sniffing dog, Smoky, didn't detect anything. But Parrish pointed out the samples were buried under almost three feet of debris. Smoky didn't venture into that area for safety reasons; nails and shredded lumber littered the back corner.

Investigators are also running down another lead: word of a silver or gray car parking in the driveway multiple times in the time that the house was unoccupied.

Parrish said once the lab results come back, his department plans to put up an arson/reward sign up on the property.

A news conference is planned for tomorrow with more details.

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/parrish-1006352-house-lab.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059033/Terrifying-images-g...

'I could feel the heat burning the side of my face': Terror on New Jersey Turnpike as gas tanker blast creates giant fireball

By Lydia Warren

Last updated at 8:05 PM on 8th November 2011

These terrifying images show the scenes after a tanker carrying 8,500 gallons of gas exploded on the New Jersey Turnpike.

A fireball engulfed the vehicle after it collided with a minivan that was reversing from a tollbooth.

Video footage shows black smoke billowing from the site while scores of emergency vehicles struggle to control the flames.

See below for videos

Fireball: A tanker with 8,500 gallons of gas exploded after colliding with a van reversing from a tollbooth

At least nine people were taken to hospital following the crash on Monday evening.

Three female passengers in the minivan were critically injured: 8-year-old Isata Bah, 14-year-old Kadijatu Bah and 27-year-old Madagbe Sananna, all from Harlem, New York.

The minivan driver, 45-year-old Yayah Bah, escaped with a minor head injury. Most of his passengers share his last name, police said.

The driver of the truck, 50-year-old Howard Kiefer of Monticello, New York, escaped the cab before the gasoline engulfed the vehicle and sustained a minor leg injury.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/10/world/asia/china-miners-death/

China mine explosion kills 19, dozens trapped

(CNN) -- A gas leak triggered an underground explosion that killed 19 miners Thursday in southwest China, state media reported, the latest fatalities in the nation's dangerous coal industry.

Twenty-four people are trapped underground after the coal mine accident in Qujing city, according to Xinhua news agency.

Rescue crews, including 30 firefighters and 300 medical workers, are working to reach the trapped miners, Xinhua said.

It was not immediately clear how many miners were working underground when the explosion occurred.

China, a large producer and consumer of coal, has one of the world's deadliest records for miners.

Last week, a mine explosion killed eight workers in the central Chinese city of Sanmenxia.

News of the injury and deaths of miners appear regularly in state media, with safety conditions, a lack of training and the flouting of laws contributing to the high number of deaths.

One of China's most dangerous year on record was 2002, with 6,995 deaths.

China: Yunnan mine hit by 'deadly gas outburst'

Nineteen miners have been killed and more are trapped underground after an accident at a colliery in south China.

The incident happened early on Thursday at the Sizhuang mine in Yunnan province's Qujing city.

The mine was hit by a "coal and gas outburst" - the ejection of rock and gas from a coal face, an official said.

Hundreds of firemen, rescue teams and medical staff were at the site, a local government statement said.

The disaster comes days after another mine in Henan province experienced a rock burst, which trapped pit workers. Dozens were rescued but 10 were killed.

The official Xinhua news agency quoted officials as saying the latest accident happened at 06:25 (22:25 GMT, Wednesday).

At least 24 men are thought to be trapped but the exact number underground at the time of the incident remains unclear, the agency said.

An official told local media that rescue personnel were in the mine but that high levels of gas were hampering efforts.

China's mining industry has a terrible safety record, but officials say in recent years the number of deaths and injuries has fallen dramatically.

The central government has put in place policies aimed at improving safety, but these measures are often ignored at a local level.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-15669778

This is now the 3rd Chinese mine explosion in less than a month.

http://www.thejournal.ie/at-least-21-killed-in-gas-explosion-at-chi...

At least 21 killed in gas explosion at Chinese mine

Families grieve over the bodies of 20 of the dead miners recovered from the mine in Yunnan.

Image: Yang Yingrong/ColorChinaPhoto/AP

AT LEAST 21 WORKERS have been killed after a gas leak at a mine in China caused a massive underground explosion.

The accident occurred yesterday morning in the south-western province of Yunnan, at around 6:30am yesterday morning.

The state’s official news agency Xinhua said rescuers were struggling to reach the other workers who had been trapped underground by the explosion.

There are thought to be 22 miners who remain trapped, though there has been no news as to how many – if any – remain alive.

It also said that the mine, which was privately owned, had been operating illegally – having lost its licence last year.

BBC News said the government had been trying to shut the mine down, as with other illegal mines, in a bid to try and restore the poor reputation of the country’s mining industry.

Only last week eight people died at an explosion in the Henan province.

http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/fatal-explosion-ris...

Ships are being inspected for gas service or repair that was done in Vietnam back in Feb.  There is an explosion possibility and they're now taking precautionary measures.  Reading PS Ning and ZetaTalk, hmmm ???

VIETNAM – BRAZIL - WORLDWIDE – The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) which represents over 4 million union members associated with the transport industry has expressed fears over the safety of some reefer shipping containers following fatal accidents. In April of this year there were two incidents at a Cat Lai repair yard in the Port of Ho Chi Minh City whilst repairs were under way on Maersk Line reefer boxes followed by another death in Itajai ,Brazil last month.

Maersk tell us that investigations so far lead them to conclude that the three explosions have been caused by a contaminated refrigerant being injected into the cooling system. Incorrect repair processes and procedures would not be able to cause these explosions. Until the exact reason for the incidents is known and a safe repair method has been developed, Maersk Line will continue to ground all reefers that have had a gas repair in Vietnam since the 1st February. This is being done as a precautionary measure the total number of units being involved is 844 whilst the Danish group operate 230,000 reefers in total. Hutchison Ports has also advised its customers to check any containers serviced or repaired in Vietnam recently and there are reports of another similar accident in China earlier this year.

Maersk are in possession of samples from the unit that exploded in Itajai as well as gas samples from containers they have grounded and that have had gas repairs done in Vietnam. Unions are calling for full investigation into the causes and scope of the problem and ITF representative Frank Leys said the unions were pleased to see that big shipping lines like Maersk had reacted so quickly to deal with the situation and urged the US union organisations to ensure companies operating from there acted equally promptly to alleviate any risk. Mr Leys, the ITF dockers’ section secretary continued:

“Where there are possibly contaminated containers still at large, we are calling on port authorities and shipping companies to issue clear guidance on how they should be handled. The health and safety of workers is paramount and in no instance should commercial or productivity issues be allowed to supersede the welfare of workers."

Seafarers’ section secretary Jon Whitlow added:

“We are extremely concerned for the welfare of those workers on ships who may be unaware that a defective container is being carried on board. Although we acknowledge that the maritime community is moving fast to provide the necessary information and advice on how to handle the contaminated containers in ports, we hope the same approach and priority is given to adequately inform the on board safety officers in order to protect the integrity of seafarers and ships.

“Whilst of course the explosion of a container ashore is a tragic event, we think that a similar explosion on board a vessel could have potentially catastrophic effects on workers, ships and the environment.”

Authorities in Vietnam tell us within weeks Tan Cang will begin verifying the gas quality with a specialist machine before recharging reefer containers. Last week neighbouring Cat Lai port held a meeting to review the situation and the implications for the trade in container repairs and inspections which local sources estimate will cost them up to $20 per b

Lawrence, KS - infoZine - The Survey is studying the Arbuckle Group of rocks to determine whether it can permanently hold CO2 injected during oil operations or for permanent storage. The project is a subsurface characterization investigation and will not include sequestration of CO2.

Now, along with industry partners Vess Oil Corporation and Murfin Drilling Company of Wichita, the Survey is drilling a horizontal well, spudded Nov. 1, in the Bemis-Shutts field to test how accurately the tool — a three-dimensional, seismic-derived volumetric curvature — can provide images of subsurface linear features, such as faults.

Survey geologists Jason Rush and Lynn Watney are leading the investigation, which is funded by a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Energy grant.

In the Bemis-Shutts field, where the Arbuckle is not as deep as it is in southern Kansas, CO2 will likely only be used in oil recovery operations, Rush said.

More than 3,500 feet deep and up to 1,000 feet thick, the Arbuckle is isolated by numerous impermeable layers, or cap rocks, from the much shallower freshwater surface aquifers.

The horizontal well starts out vertical, gradually turns in a horizontal direction and will head through about 2,000 feet of the upper Arbuckle. The borehole will be drilled through an ancient sinkhole below the oil zone.

“The horizontal part of the well is purposely being drilled to intersect faults, fractures and paleokarst, suggested by volumetric curvature, so that we can evaluate their dimensions, orientation and permeability,” said Rush.

Paleokarst — a landscape of ancient caverns and sinkholes formed in limestone and other soluble rocks now buried beneath thousands of feet sediment — sits atop the Arbuckle.

“One question we hope to address is whether ancient karst features coincide with long-lived faults and whether those faults may act as leakage pathways,” Rush said.

CO2 sequestration — the containment of CO2 from industrial processes and other sources — is being explored worldwide in an effort to reduce the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. CO2 is already used in tertiary oil operations to squeeze out trapped oil that is hard to recover using traditional methods.

Once the well is completed, measurements and images collected from the well will be compared to maps generated by the volumetric curvature tool to confirm the tool’s utility.

“If results are promising, we envision using seismic volumetric curvature attributes as a screening tool, whereby we can eliminate locations that have potentially conductive faults,” Rush said. “The results will also be used to better understand karst-related reservoir compartmentalization within existing Arbuckle oil fields.”

Fatal Bulgarian Gas Pipe Blast Caused by High Pressure

November 13, 2011

A blast at a gas pipeline maintained by Bulgargaz killed two Bulgarian workers and seriously injured another two. File photo

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/11/accidental-explos...

Accidental explosion at Iran military base kills at least 27

November 12, 2011

Israel has been threatening a possible military strike against Iran’s nuclear sites. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

There have been a number of deadly blasts in recent years at industrial sites and military bases in Iran, including a gas leak explosion in May when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was visiting the Abadan oil refinery. A blast at a Republican Guard arms depot in the city of Khorramabad killed 18 soldiers in October 2010, according to media reports.

Saturday’s explosion sent a column of smoke into the air and rattled windows in Tehran’s suburbs, according to media reports. Some Iranians thought an earthquake or a gas explosion had happened. The Fars news agency said the blast occurred about 1:30 p.m. local time. The Associated Press reported that the Iranian exile group Mujahedin-e Khalq claimed the blast resulted from the explosion of rockets at a missile base for the Revolutionary Guard.

Guard spokesman Sharif said the blast was not linked to a nuclear test or the transport of missiles.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/11/14/restaurant-gas-explosion-in...

Restaurant Gas Explosion in China Leaves Nine Dead



http://www.onntv.com/content/stories/2011/11/16/story-gas-line-expl...

Gas Line Explosion Reported In SE Ohio

Emergency crews are on the scene of a gas line explosion near the Athens-Morgan County line.

The explosion occurred at about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday morning, about five miles outside of Glouster.

Witnesses told ONN-TV that flames shot hundreds of feet into the air.

According to the Athens County EMA, the explosions resulted in a large number of fires along a stretch of the pipeline.

Authorities from Morgan County said the two residences that were damaged were 9500 Taylor Rd and 9436 Taylor Road.

One woman was transported from the scene after she was found walking down the road away from the fire, carrying her dog.

O'Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens confirmed that a person was treated for respiratory symptoms. It has not been determined if this was the same individual.

A Tennessee Gas Pipeline runs through the area. The gas line was the same that ruptured in Hanoverton, located in Columbiana County in February.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline officials turned off a number of valves to control the fires. The company said it will conduct an investigation of the incident.

Firefighters reported that one home and barn caught on fire.  No one was at the residence at the time of the explosion.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has closed State Route 329 in efforts to keep vehicular traffic from the incident area.

Athens County residents who have emergencies not related to the gas line incident are asked to call 911 and are asked to refrain from contacting 911 to report the gas line explosion.

Officials Order Shutdown of 27 Miles of Gas Pipeline in Ohio

HOUSTON--Federal officials have ordered the continued shutdown of 27 miles of natural gas pipeline in Ohio because of repeated problems with welds in the pipe, including one linked to an explosion that leveled several houses on Wednesday.

The investigation into the cause of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC explosion near Glouster, Ohio, is continuing, according to an order released late Thursday by the federal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203611404577045070512...

http://www.indystar.com/article/20111119/LOCAL18/111119005/Manhole-...|mostpopular|text|LOCAL

Manhole cover explosions reported Downtown

An underground explosion Downtown blew off manhole covers, set a car on fire and shut down traffic near the intersection of South Delaware and East Washington streets Saturday night.

Eyewitnesses said the explosion blew manhole covers into the air before 10 p.m.

Numerous intersections were closed as the Indianapolis Fire Department continued to work at 11:30 p.m. to get the underground blaze under control in an area north of Conseco Fieldhouse. No injuries were reported.

WTHR (Channel 13), the Star's newsgathering partner, reported that as Indianapolis Fire Department crews investigated the first explosion, another cover blew up beneath a department pickup truck.

IFD Capt. Eric Hofmeister told WTHR: "We've gotta be very careful with the amount of water we throw on these, because it can do two things. It can cause a secondary explosion and electricity can travel through our hose stream and injure firefighters. So there's not much we can do until the power's cut and that's what we're waiting on right now."

Traffic was restricted in the two blocks from the intersection of Washington and Delaware streets. People in the vicinity also reported smelling what they believed to be gas.

Indianapolis Power & Light Co. utility crews were contacted, and some power outages may occur in the Downtown area as the situation is resolved.

Saturday night's Downtown underground fire is at least the sixth since February 2010.

In June, the Star reported that at least five huge blasts in the previous 16 months -- including one in May outside Gov. Mitch Daniels' office at the Statehouse -- had put pressure on authorities to determine the cause.

No one was seriously injured in the five previous blasts, but they have damaged cars, scorched buildings and sent manhole covers soaring into the air, sometimes just a few feet from customers dining on patios. Some Downtown merchants and promoters have said they are concerned that future blasts might take a more serious toll.

Several of the previous explosions have been traced to faulty cables in Indianapolis Power & Light Co.'s sprawling network of underground equipment. The utility insisted it properly maintains its system. It said in June it would begin an "accelerated inspection plan" of its Downtown underground equipment.

http://www.firerescue1.com/hazards-hazmat/articles/1185098-Explosio...

Explosion rocks rural Ohio

3rd breach in gas pipeline this year sends huge fireball into sky; gas company has experienced 63 'incidents' since 2006

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8439646

5 firefighters injured in Pennsauken gas explosion

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PENNSAUKEN, N.J. - November 21, 2011 (WPVI) -- Five firefighters were injured following a natural gas explosion early Monday in Pennsauken, New Jersey.

The explosion happened around 4:30 a.m. in a house located on the 2500 block of 42nd Street.

The injured firefighters were taken to Cooper University medical Center for treatment. All of their injuries are reportedly minor.

Officials say crews were battling a fire in the basement of the house when the explosion happened.

There is no word on what sparked the blaze.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111121/NEWS01/311210043/Explos...|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

Explosion causes fire at GE

Evendale fire chief, Rick Cruse, speaks to media about the fire at General Electric on Monday late afternoon.

Traffic is at a standstill in both directions on Interstate 75 near the Shepard Lane overpass after a fire GE Aviation. / The Enquirer/Cara Owsley

EVENDALE – Firefighters quickly extinguished a blaze at GE Aviation following an explosion in a building that houses machinery that tests aviation parts.

No one was hurt in the two-alarm fire that was reported between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday at the plant along Interstate 75, officials said.

Evendale Fire Chief Rick Cruse said it probably will take awhile to figure out what caused the blast inside Building 300 at the north end of GE’s plant here. Two of the four walls were blown out of the building, which sits at the north end of GE’s property; no damage estimate was immediately available.

Three large hydraulic compressors are housed in the building, which is used for “strictly mechanical” purposes, Cruse said. Computers, not people, run all the components there, he said.

Firefighters were able to contain a leak of hydraulic fluid, Cruse said. Jet fuel, natural gas, water and electricity supplies were turned off in the area, Cruse said, adding that GE “is real conscientious about everything.”

GE spokesman Rick Kennedy said employees rarely occupy that area, and all buildings nearby are used to test aviation parts.

After the fire broke out, interstate was clogged alongside the plant because of rainy weather, rush-hour traffic and multiple fire trucks converging on the scene; some fire crews were advised to find an alternate route to reach the plant.

Evendale firefighters were able to extinguish the fire so rapidly, they didn’t need the extra help that poured in from neighboring departments, Cruse said. Firefighters from nine departments with 50 firefighters arrived to help but Evendale fire officials released most of those firefighters because they weren’t needed, Cruse said.

GE maintains its own fire department but Cruse was unsure whether GE firefighters were the first to fight the fire, C