http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2386911/Dramatic-moment-mys...

Underground electrical explosions in Sutton (the 4th such explosion since April)

Dramatic moment mystery explosion causes pavement to catch fire leaving 100 homes without power

• Family of four return home to see car engulfed in flames and hedge on fire
• Bradley Wakelin's car was written off and his scorched drive left in tatters
• More than 100 homes were without power for nearly eight hours
  
• It was the fourth underground explosion in Sutton since April
• Electrical firm UK Power Networks is in compensation talks with the family

By STUART WOLEDGE

PUBLISHED: 11:27 EST, 8 August 2013 | UPDATED: 12:16 EST, 8 August 2013

A family's car was written off and 100 homes were left without 
power after a mystery explosion sparked an inferno causing flames to come shooting up from underneath the pavement..

The Wakelin family, from Hackbridge in Sutton, were shocked when they returned home to see that their hedge was on fire and their car had been engulfed in flames.

The heat was so intense, it also burnt Bradley Wakelin's drive leaving it in tatters. The incident caused a powercut to 107 customers, who were without energy for nearly eight hours.

Mr Wakelin said: 'My family and I came home to find my vehicle and front hedge on fire with the firefighters putting it out.

'I didn’t know what was going on. I saw the car and the hedge alight and knew it wasn’t good.

'When they told me what happened I just couldn’t believe it. I just didn’t think it could happen.

'My car is written off. My driveway is crumbled from the heat as well. It was frightening.'

Neither he, nor his wife Emma and daughters Kelsie, five, and Keira, nine, were harmed during the incident, but he Mr Wakelin is worried something like this might end up happening again.

'This was caused by a fire in the electrical junction box underneath the ground that had got so fierce that it caught my hedge and car alight,' he said.

'I feel that people of Sutton and the surrounding areas should be made aware of the dangers that are beneath us.

'I want to send a clear message to UK Power Networks to do something about the situation and the dangers it can cause.'

Explosion: Firefighters were called to the scene of the incident in New Road, Hackbridge, which engulfed a family's car in flames

Tackling the flames: Firefighters were called to the scene and put the fire out, but Mr Wakelin was shocked at the damage it had caused

Firefighers from Wallington Fire Station were called to the scene at about 5.50pm on Sunday, July 28 and tackled the blaze using water.

A fault on UK Power Networks' electrical equipment beneath the ground was blamed for causing the explosion that led to the fire.

Similar incidents in April caused three explosions underground near Sutton train station, leading to blackouts in the town centre.

The incidents reportedly caused chaos on the railway, with the departure boards going down. A lift was also damaged and the pavement where the explosions had been was lifted.

Across London, a manhole cover also exploded in Pimlico.

UK Power Networks, which operates the electrical cables under Sutton, confirmed it was in talks with Mr Wakelin over compensation for the damage the fire caused.

A spokeswoman added: 'UK Power Networks engineers worked through the night to restore power after a fault on the underground electricity network in the New Road area of Hackbridge interrupted supplies to 107 customers.

'We appreciate how difficult it is to be without power and are sorry for the inconvenience caused.'

The faulty equipment was replaced and power supplies restored by 2.55am the following day.

Burnt out: The engine of the victim's car was damaged beyond repair by the fire

http://en.ria.ru/world/20130811/182708384/1-Dead-6-Injured-After-Ex...

2 Dead, 16 Injured After Explosion in Eastern Ukraine

Взрыв газа в доме в Луганске

© Ilya Bogrov

17:53 11/08/2013

MOSCOW, August 11 (RIA Novosti) – Two people were killed and 16 people injured in an explosion that tore through an apartment block in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk on Sunday, Ukrainian officials said.

“The shock waves damaged concrete slabs and partitions on the 5th, 6th and 7th floors. The explosion took place on the 6th floor,” a local emergency services official said. The blast was likely to have been caused by a gas leak, according to officials.

People may still be trapped in the damaged building, where Ukrainian rescuers are working to find survivors, and about 60 people have been evacuated from the area, a local emergency services official said.

The explosion happened in an apartment block in the center of Lugansk, a large town about 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian capital Kiev, and near to the country’s border with Russia.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/new-details-explosion-reported-nea...

NEW DETAILS: Explosion reported near UNI campus; no one hurt

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Two utility workers escaped injury after a power-generating plant blew up while they were testing it Monday morning.

Steve Balthazor and Kevin DeSerano were at control panels for the No. 2 gas combustion turbine at 2506. W. 27th St. on the outskirts of Cedar Falls around 9:45 a.m. when the blast tore apart a section of the building, according to firefighters and CFU officials.

“Just about everybody in town called it in ... I was sitting in City Hall in the mayor’s conference room, and it shook the building,” said John Schilling, chief of Cedar Falls Fire Rescue.

City Hall is about three miles from the CFU facility.

“It took out about half the power-generating portion of the (CFU) building ... There were no signs of fire, just signs of a large explosion. The two people who were inside the building weren’t hurt. They were treated and evaluated by the paramedics and refused transport,” Schilling said.

Balthazor and DeSerano, full-time CFU workers who are normally stationed at another plant, were wearing hearing protection because of normal noise in the West 27th Street facility, said Betty Zeman, CFU’s public information officer.

There were no fires or gas leaks at the damaged building, Schilling said.

He said no debris from the explosion left the site, which is surrounded by a chain-link fence, and windows in neighboring buildings were intact. Other structures on the site, including a second turbine building and two above-ground fuel oil tanks, weren’t damaged, Zeman said.

“We were told it wouldn’t effect the power-generating capabilities for this city, even with the higher heat coming up this week,” Schilling said.

The cause of the explosion hasn’t been determined.

Zeman said the site is a backup facility and only used during days with peak power demand or during emergencies.

“It’s not a unit that’s used very often, but when you need it, you really need it,” she said.

She said the accident happened during a mandatory annual “urge test” at the facility.

“Basically what you are doing is confirming the capacity of the unit ... That’s a routine thing done once a year,” she said.

The employees were conducting a startup of the gas turbine as part of the test when the explosion happened.

A diesel engine starts up the equipment, and then natural gas is injected and burned to produce electricity, Zeman said. She said the accident happened sometime after the natural gas injection had begun.

Updated at 11:05 a.m.

CEDAR FALLS —No injuries were reported after a power generating station exploded on the outskirts of Cedar Falls this morning.

Two Cedar Falls Utilities workers were inside the building at 2506 W. 27th St. when the blast damaged the facility, said Fire Chief John Schilling. He said the two were examined by paramedics and released at the scene.

The cause of the explosion hasn’t been determined, but Shilling said the blast leveled about half of the building.

The explosion happened at about 10 a.m. and was heard across the city. Schilling said he heard the noise from city hall downtown.

He said the accident won’t effect power to the city.

Schilling said there was no debris outside the site, and windows in neighboring buildings were intact.

Betty Zeman, a CFU spokeswoman, said the site is a backup facility and only used during days with peak power demand or during emergencies. This morning, the two workers — Steve Balthazor and Kevin DeSerano — were undertaking a required annual “urge test” on the No. 2 gas combustion turbine when the explosion occurred.

They were at a control panel when the blast occurred in another part of the building, she said. She said they were wearing hearing protection because of normal noise in the facility.

She said there were no issues with gas leaks.

UPDATED 10:55 a.m.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — No injuries were reported after a power generating station exploded on the outskirts of Cedar Falls this morning.

Two Cedar Falls Utilities workers were inside the building at 2506 W. 27th St. when the blast damaged the facility, said Fire Chief John Schilling. He said the two were examined by paramedics and released at the scene.

The cause of the explosion hasn’t been determined, but Shilling said the blast leveled about half of the building.

The explosion happened at about 10 a.m. and was heard across the city. Schilling said he heard the noise from city hall downtown.

He said the accident won’t effect power to the city.

Schilling said there was no debris outside the site, and windows in neighboring buildings were intact.

Betty Zeman, a CFU spokeswoman, said the site is a backup facility and only used during days with peak power demand or during emergencies. This morning, the two workers were undertaking a required annual “urge test” on the No. 2 gas combustion turbine when the explosion occurred.

She said there were no issues with gas leaks.

UPDATE at 10:30 a.m.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- No injuries were reported after a power generating station exploded on the outskirts of Cedar Falls this morning.

Two Cedar Falls Utilities workers were inside the building at 2506 W. 27th St. when the blast damaged the facility, said Fire Chief John Schilling. He said the two were examined by paramedics and released at the scene.

The cause of the explosion hasn't been determined, but Shilling said the blast leveled about half of the building.

EARLIER STORY

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Rescue crews are on the scene of an explosion near the University of Northern Iowa campus near the UNI-Dome.

Officials with Cedar Falls Fire Rescue were called to 2602 W. 27th St. about 10 a.m. on a report of an explosion.

There were no reported injuries.

But the boom from the explosion could be heard for blocks. People working and living near campus took to social media right afterwards, reporting that the walls of the McLeod Center shook during the blast. Another said the blast could be heard at Gold Falls apartments.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/128547/Local_Media_Natural_Ga...

UPDATE: Fire Put Out On Oklahoma Natural Gas Pipeline after Blast

http://www.kwkt.com/news/oil-rig-explodes-south-tx

Oil rig explodes in south TX

video in link

CNN — Investigators are trying to figure out what caused a oil rig explosion near Victoria, Texas.

Houston based EOG Resources operates the well, workers were drilling into the Eagle Ford when something went wrong, sending crew members scrambling for cover.

A spokesperson for EOG says all of the workers made it off the rig safely, firefighters and private contractors are working to extinguish the flames.

The fire is expected to burn for a couple of days.

UPDATE: OSHA investigating Lavaca County oil rig explosion

• Photo by Susie Albert •

The scene of the rig fire off of Highway 111.

photo link:   http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2013/aug/29/oil_rig_fire_folo_...

http://www.freep.com/article/20130831/NEWS01/308310078/Downtown-Det...

Blasts in downtown Detroit blow off manhole covers

A problem with an electrical cable beneath the streets of downtown Detroit sparked an explosion Saturday that blew off manhole covers at Washington and Grand River, according to DTE Energy.

Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE, said an underground electrical cable failed. He said crews were making repairs and trying to determine what caused the explosion.

Simons said six manhole covers were blown off. No customers were affected, he said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The Detroit Fire Department responded to the scene, according to an advisory from the Detroit Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The office asked people to avoid the area

and another link

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/underground-explosions-...

Posted: 08/31/2013
Last Updated: 21 hours and 56 minutes ago

New Jersey House Explosion Levels House, Kills Resident (Aug 28)

Neighbors were stunned this morning when a house exploded in the first block of New Street in Hampton, New Jersey.

The home at 74 New St. was destroyed about 7 o'clock in what a neighbor said was two explosions. Residences on both sides of the home were evacuated.

Emergency radio reports said at least one of the two people living there -- a man resided upstairs and a woman in the basement.  The man escaped but the woman was killed.

The body of 56-year-old Deborah Smith was found in the basement of the home on New Road that exploded this morning, State Police Spokesman Sgt. Adam Grossman said. The origin and cause of the explosion and fire remain under investigation.

Neighbors tried to save the woman trapped inside the burning home here this morning, rushing to the house and attempting to gain access, authorities said.

"It was reported that she was communicating with them as they attempted to rescue her," Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns III said. "Their heroic acts, although unsuccessful, are a credit to these individuals and their community should be proud of them.”

A friend of the woman, who lived in the home's basement, came to see what he could do.

"When the house first exploded she called one of my friend's moms to help her get out," said Steve Babus, who lives in a nearby condo. The phone then cut off and the woman didn't make it out of the house, he said.

Tom Dellaventura, a retired captain in the Plainfield, N.J., Fire Department who lives at 64 New St., said he tried to rescue the woman.

The rear of the home had collapsed and Dellaventura could hear the woman calling for help, he said. He tried to clear debris to get into the house, but the flames got too intense and he said he had to back off.

"Maybe with a few more people, I could have done something," Dellaventura said, adding that he tried to fight the blaze with a neighbor's garden hose. "It's very frustrating to hear someone and not be able to help."

Babus said he last saw his friend Sunday.

"She was an outgoing person, kind," Babus said. "She'd do anything for anybody to help them out. She was a very up-spirited person, always happy."

Those who knew her, called her “Jesse James” due to her “feisty, tough-as-nails” personality.

“She made gold out of dirt,” said Rae Reid, of Byram, N.J.

Ali Dalpe, who lives at 60 New St., said she was awakened by an explosion. Her father and she ran outside. The house at 74 New St. was still standing; there was heavy smoke but no flames were initially visible, she said.

"All of a sudden the house just erupted," she said of the second explosion. "It was horrifying.

"... I was just hoping everyone was OK and the fire department could contain it."

The second explosion was a few minutes before rescue personnel arrived, she said. Officials later said what she thought was a second explosion was actually the house collapsing.

Another neighbor, who lives next to the house but didn't want to give her name, said, "I heard a boom and I saw it collapse."

The explosion shook her house so badly she thought a car struck her home, she said, adding there was no damage to her house as far as she knows.

"I am just shocked," she said. "I have no words. You never expect your neighbor's house to blow up."

Angela Patterson, who lives across the street, said she an explosion woke her up. Mirrors and furniture were shaking in her house, she said.

"This is unbelievable. To think that we're that close to something this tragic. It's really scary," she said.

A computer monitor and what looked like propane tanks were visible in the rubble.

The home did not have natural gas service, a spokesman for Elizabethtown Gas said.

"As a precaution we performed inspections of the natural gas main in the vicinity and found no leaks on our system," Duane A. Bourne said in an email. "Elizabethtown Gas is dedicated to the safety and reliability of our natural gas system and we are currently providing any assistance requested by local authorities as they respond and investigate this incident."

Sources

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/hunterdon-county/express-times/inde...

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2013/08/neigh...

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/hunterdon-county/express-times/inde...

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Riverside-House-Explosion-F...

House "Completely Blown Up," Explosion Shakes Riverside Neighborhood

Piles of rubble continued to burn hours after the powerful blast, which "sounded like someone dropped a truck from a helicopter"

 Friday, Sep 6, 2013  |  Updated 7:42 AM PDT

Neighbors felt their homes shake when a house exploded in Riverside.

Firefighters continued to spray water on flames Friday morning after an explosion at a Riverside home -- a blast that neighbors described as feeling like an earthquake, big rig crash and a "truck dropped from a helicopter."

Details regarding the cause of the blast were not immediately available. Gas company employees were called to the house, which had been under renovation for 30 days, according to fire officials.

A fire captain who was among the first responders described the house as "completely blown up and gone." No one was in the house at the time of the explosion.

The powerful explosion destroyed the structure and left debris scattered in the neighborhood. No injuries were reported, but several nearby homes were damaged.

Neighbor Craig Erickson said the force of the blast blew open the door of a home and sent debris into nearby yards. He ran outside to check on neighbors as his girlfriend called the fire department.

"It was just a huge explosion -- I didn't know if it was a plane crash,"  said Erickson. "It sounded like a rig might have crash, or I thought maybe it was an earthquake."

Erickson said construction crews had been working on the house.

A neighbor who lives about a half-mile from the home heard and felt the explosion. His house shook from the blast.

"It sounded like someone dropped a truck from a helicopter -- it was just like, 'boom,'" said Gary Wolfenberger.

The blast was reported at 4:18 a.m. and piles of rubble continued to burn at about 6 a.m. Firefighters climbed to the roof of an adjacent house to spray water on the fires.

The attic of a house to the east also caught on fire.

and from another

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-riverside-house-exposio...

One home flattened, another on fire after explosion in Riverside

http://http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91002...

A Riverside community was shaken awake Friday morning when an unoccupied home exploded, flattening the property.

http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/local-news/2013/09/14/explosi...

 

The explosion at Gasworks, seen from a nearby hillside. (Photo by Celia Carroll)

Black smoke and pillars of fire tore through the night's sky Saturday as fuel tanks exploded at the Gasworks service station in Bovoni in a blast one witness described as looking "like an atomic bomb."

Officials Saturday night reported only one injury from the fire, and another person was injured while climbing a fence in an effort to escape. Motorists were advised by emergency officials to avoid the area.

The first report of a fire in Bovoni was received at the 911 emergency call center at about 8:30 p.m.

Joyce Doumeng was in her home, about three quarters of a mile from the station, talking on the phone to a friend in Florida when she heard the first blast. She went outside and looked east and saw flames leaping from the station.

"It looked like when you see film of a plane crash," she said. "Repeatedly, as each tank went up, it just filled the sky with black smoke and fresh flames."

Doumeng spoke to the Source about 45 minutes after the first explosion, and said by that time the explosions had ceased but the fire was still burning.

"It looks like an atomic bomb, just a huge plume of black smoke."

She said because there were little or no winds, the smoke was going straight up.

 

Fire consumes the Gasworks. (Submitted photo)

Even as she spoke to the Source, she said the smoke was thinning somewhat, and she was able to see lights from St. John through the black cloud.

According to Christine Lett, public information officer for the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Authority, it appeared that gas tanks stored behind the station had exploded.

"The explosion was in their storage facility," she said. "It was fuel – gasoline, not propane," that was being stored.

VI Fire Service firefighters and the VI Port Authority’s crash unit responded to battle the blaze. At approximately 9:15 p.m., VI Police Department officers began asking residents of lower Bovoni (across from the Gas Works Gas Station) to evacuate the area.

VITEMA Director Elton Lewis also partially activated St. Thomas’ Emergency Operations Center to coordinate and support the response to the fire and Department of Health officials remained on standby to issues health advisories if necessary.  The Department of Planning and Natural Resources and VI Rescue also responded to the incident.

At about 9:30 p.m. VITEMA issued a call for all water truck companies to call the 911 call center. Lett said the fire fighters had not run out of water, but officials want to make sure they had sufficient supplies.

Firefighters contained the blaze just after 11 p.m. and the VI Fire Service issued an ‘all-clear’ at 11:25 p.m. allowing residents of lower Bovoni to return home.

Governor's Office spokesman Jean Greaux said the fire was concentrated behind the store and the store was completely engulfed in flames.

An individual who was at the gas station at the time of the explosion, received burns to 18 percent of his body and was transported to Schneider Hospital for treatment, according to VITEMA.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/emergency-crews-respond-ho...

Stamford, Connecticut explosion levels house, flings debris up to 400 feet

Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia told the Daily News that the homeowner’s life was spared because he was on the property but not indoors at the time of the harrowing blast.

BY MICHAEL WALSH / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013, 3:39 PM

UPDATED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013, 7:09 PM

AP PHOTO/THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE, LINDSAY PERRY

A firefighter helps to walks through the rubble of the Connecticut home that exploded Tuesday afternoon.

Chemical Plant Explosion Sends Fireball 80 Feet Into The Air - 9/18/2013

A rural Oklahoma town received a major shock late Wednesday night when a chemical plant exploded. A witness at the scene was able to capture one of the explosions. The explosion sent a fireball over 80 feet into the air and forced officials to evacuate homes up to four miles north of the facility.

"It's scary. I didn't know what to do at first. I thought we were going to have to leave town. My dad's not here so we wouldn't have been able to do much. So it's kind of scary,' said Garett Snay Thomas, Okla. Resident.

Luckily there were no injuries reported. Fire crews are not using water to dose the fire, but instead they have it contained and are just letting it burn out.

http://www.news9.com/story/23480501/thomas-residents-face-uncertain...

Several residents evacuated homes nearby the plant, Danlin Industries Corp., which happens to be the town's largest employer

Thomas Residents Face Uncertain Future After Plant Explosion

Posted: Sep 19, 2013 6:42 PM CDTUpdated: Sep 19, 2013 6:42 PM CDT

News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

THOMAS, Oklahoma -

Residents in the small town of Thomas, Okla. in Custer County are still rattled after a huge chemical plant explosion, Wednesday night.

Several residents evacuated homes nearby the plant, Danlin Industries Corp., which happens to be the town's largest employer.

"Everybody knows somebody that's employed there. It's like watching your own home burn down," said Jamie King, a Thomas resident and managing editor of the Thomas Tribune.

King lives a mile away from the plant and said the explosion was frightening.

"There was thick black smoke, it was so dark and heavy," King said. "It was exploding back to back."

The Danlin plant produces chemicals used in oilfields. It's a family-owned company named after its founders Danny and Linda Floyd, who started the business in the early 1990s that later blossomed to offices in seven states.

All of its nearly 70 employees were gone by the time of the explosion. The last employee is said to have left around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, hours before fire broke out before 10 p.m. Because of the hazardous chemicals, firefighters didn't try to put flames out from inside the plant.

9/19/2013 Related Story: Fire, Explosions At Danlin Chemical Plant ...

"We didn't fight this fire at all. We just let it burn. It was too intense, too dangerous to get close to," said Warren Manley of Thomas Emergency Management.

While damage from the chemical explosion is still visible, the effects of the explosion on the town has residents worried.

"This was the worst case scenario for a town of our size," said Harold Gleason, publisher of the Thomas Tribune. "They employ so many people here. They're like our own. Their names are on the scoreboard of our football field."

The city of Thomas has about 1,200 people. Residents are hopeful the company will rebuild the plant after its devastating loss.

Gleason said the owners are assessing the situation and trying to continue operations at a temporary office in another location. He said the mayor, city council and economic developers have offered to help the Danlin rebuild.

"It was just more than you can comprehend to see the entire structure and just humongous explosions and billowing flames all the way through," Gleason said. "And to see it in the daylight, see the full effect of it, it just really takes your breath away."

Firefighters reported no injuries and say it could at least two days before the plant cools down completely.

Part of highway 47, which runs along the plant, is closed until Friday morning. Drivers traveling to Thomas are asked to take highway 33. OSHA is also investigating the cause of the explosion. Danlin does not have any prior OSHA violations.

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/explosions-ring-out-as-fire-guts-maple-ridge-c...

Explosions ring out as fire guts Maple Ridge cedar mill

Fire investigators will be trying to determine the cause of an explosion and fire that destroyed a Maple Ridge cedar shake mill early Wednesday morning.

Eight trucks and 30 firefighters arrived at the facility around 1 a.m. to find a fully involved structure fire in the area where they produce cedar shakes.

Maple Ridge Fire Dept. Asst. Chief Mark Smitton says about half a dozen propane tanks had exploded.

RELATED LINKS

• In Pictures: Explosions, blaze levels B.C. cedar mill

PHOTOS

Fire destroyed a Maple Ridge, B.C., mill on Sept. 25, 2013. (CTV)

The tanks are used to power the forklifts that move the pallets of wood.

The cause is still under investigation, and no injuries have been reported.

Eight people work at the mill, but there is no overnight shift. The shutdown is devastating for the workers, some of whom have worked at other mills that have closed down.

http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/23523767/1-dead-1-injured-in-lib...

 

 

(Courtesy of viewer Jamie Hand)

 

 

 

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Update: Large explosion at chemical company east of London, caustic soda liquid leaking

Posted on 09-26 at 20:29:32 CST

[As released by the local fire department]

Explosion in Thurrock - Incident Details

Incident: Large Chemical Explosion at Industrial Chemicals

Address: Industrial Chemicals Limited, Stoness Road, West Thurrock

Attendance: 3 x Grays, 2 x Orsett, Maldon Foam Lorry, Southend ALP

Details: 

Crews arriving at the scene report an explosion of chemical in a chlorine scrubbing unit.

One man suffered minor injuries to his shin. He was treated at the scene by firefighters and did not need an Ambulance. Crews are standing by while site workers investigate.

At 20:50hrs, the incident commander reports that the explosion has caused a leak of caustic soda liquid. Crews are still standing by.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=157207823&p=1139...

Comments

Large explosion at chemical company east of London
Posted on 09-26 at 20:15:52 CST
[As released by local police]

West THURROCK: explosion at chemical company; warning to resident to stay indoors 26/09/2013

The Fire Service and other emergency services are at the scene of a chemical incident in Stoness Road, West Thurrock where there is believed to have been an explosion at Industrial Chemicals Ltd. There are no reports of any casualties at this time.

Police are asking that anyone who lives in the area stay indoors and keeps their windows and doors closed. There are reports of a strong chlorine smell in the area.

another comment

Update: Large explosion at chemical company east of London, caustic soda liquid leaking
Posted on 09-26 at 20:29:32 CST
[As released by the local fire department]

Explosion in Thurrock - Incident Details

Incident: Large Chemical Explosion at Industrial Chemicals

Address: Industrial Chemicals Limited, Stoness Road, West Thurrock

Attendance: 3 x Grays, 2 x Orsett, Maldon Foam Lorry, Southend ALP

Details: 

Crews arriving at the scene report an explosion of chemical in a chlorine scrubbing unit.

One man suffered minor injuries to his shin. He was treated at the scene by firefighters and did not need an Ambulance. Crews are standing by while site workers investigate.

At 20:50hrs, the incident commander reports that the explosion has caused a leak of caustic soda liquid. Crews are still standing by.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/27/us-france-explosions-idUS...

At least three killed in explosion at Paris work site

PARIS | Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:25pm EDT

(Reuters) - At least three people were killed on Friday in a large explosion on a work site in central Paris which the fire brigade said was likely an accident caused by a fuel tank igniting.

The blast on a narrow street in northern Paris ripped through an underground garage where several workers were gathered, causing surrounding buildings to shake.

A building across from the blast site had been evacuated and the fire brigade was reinforcing its foundations to avoid collapse, a fireman said.

A fuel tank was the most likely cause of the blast, he added. Rescuers were using dogs to search for a possible fourth victim under rubble.

"The circumstances of this tragedy are not yet clear and an investigation will shed light on this terrible accident," Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said in a statement.

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/23554927/german-village-evacuated-a...

 

Firefighters try to contain a gas explosion in a German village, that caused an evacuation. (Source:MGN)

• BERLIN (AP) - An entire village in central Germany had to be evacuated early Saturday after a major gas explosion injured 16 firefighters, shattered windows and caused a blast so forceful it could be heard up to 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) away.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/301891-german-village-harthausen-ev...

Harthausen, Germany, Evacuated After Gas Explosion: Firefighters Injured

By Tara MacIsaac, Epoch Times | September 28, 2013

Last Updated: September 28, 2013 11:06 am

• 

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p>Police suspect arson in a gas company explosion in Harthausen, Germany, that forced a mass evacuation Saturday morning. 

Firefighters were called to Hoffmann gas transport, which handles liquid gas, at about 4:20 a.m. Two gas tanks then exploded, reports SWR Landesschau, injuring 16 firefighters, seven of whom  were seriously injured. 

The entire town of about 3,000 residents was evacuated. The fire is under control, with some 450 emergency response workers on site. 

Evacuees are housed in the neighboring Dudenhofen. The explosion could be heard 15 miles away.

A controlled explosion released a huge amount of carbon dioxide in the mine trapping miners and killing three.

http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/news/Three-German-miners-killed-i...

Three German miners killed in underground explosion

By Cole Latimer02 October 2013

Editorial

Three miners, who were trapped underground following a controlled potash mine blast, have died.

The men were trapped in a 700 metre deep shaft following a controlled explosion that caused a severe carbon dioxide leak, according to Reuters.

While four miners did manage to escape, the remaining three died after breathing the released carbon dioxide at the K+S's Werra operation, in the German state of Thueringia, near the town of Unterbreizbach.

"A carbon dioxide leak occurred to an extent we did not expect after an explosion, and this led to the people dying," Rainer Gerling, the operation's manager, told a news conference.

"After the explosions, we carry out checks to see how much carbon dioxide is in the mine. This was the actual job of these employees, and they were then surprised by the occurrence of CO2 on the site," he added.

K+S is investigating the accident.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-08/supermarket-explosion-in-sydn...

Supermarket explosion in Wentworthville in Sydney's west leaves 10 injured

Updated 4 hours 26 minutes ago

Police say it is remarkable that nobody died when an explosion and fire ripped through a western Sydney supermarket early this morning.

Ten people were injured after the explosion at the two-storey building on Station Street at Wentworthville at about 4:30am.

Eight police officers suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation while rescuing an injured man from the rubble.

The two men who were in the building at the time of the explosion are in a serious but stable condition.

Firefighters had believed two more men were inside the building, but now say that is not the case.

Locals have described the building as an Afghan supermarket with an apartment on top, while fire crews say it was a $2 shop.

Video posted on social media shows the building burning fiercely as screams are heard above the sound of flames.

Witness Katie Facaris saw a man who was stuck under burning bricks.

"He was yelling, 'Help, get me water'," she said.

Police 'just came from everywhere', tried to pull man from rubble

Another witness, Ethan Roberts, said police "just came from everywhere" after the explosion.

"There was another guy who was stuck in the fire, with all the bricks on top of him," he said.

"There was another guy telling him that the guy in the bricks is just going to have to wait until the fire crews get there.

"Then police just came from everywhere. There were probably about seven police officers that were going to get him out but they couldn’t because of the heat, it was just so hot."

The supermarket was next door to the Wentworthville Hotel, which was evacuated but did not catch fire.

It is not clear if the explosion caused the fire, or if the fire caused the explosion.

Fire crews beaten back as fire raged and building fell apart

PHOTO: Fire crews damp down the building after the explosion and fire (ABC News: Nick Grimm)

"It's very dangerous at the moment because we're unsure of the stability of the surrounding walls," Superintendent Paul Bailey from Fire and Rescue New South Wales said earlier this morning.

He said fire crews tried to get into the building after the explosion but were beaten back "due to the flames and structural integrity of the building as it was falling down around them."

He said the two men rescued from the rubble were very lucky.

"We found them in amongst a cavity of bricks so they've obviously fallen from the top of the building and fallen down and the fact that they've survived I think is a miracle," he said.

The cause of the explosion is unknown.

"We don't know a lot at the moment, we're going to conduct a lot of investigations throughout the day with the New South Wales Police," Superintendent Paul Bailey said.

"We do have explosion debris right across the road, so we know an explosion has occurred but its timing and its cause in relation to the fire is still yet to be determined."

Police praise bravery of officers who went into burning building

PHOTO: Fire crews sift through the remains of the supermarket following the explosion. (AAP: Quentin Jones)

Assistant Commissioner Denis Clifford praised the courage of the police officers who went into the rubble without protective gear to pull the two men to safety.

"Police have entered the building a number of times in an attempt to rescue a gentleman who was trapped under some rubble," he said.

He said the injured officers were in good spirits with minor burns and smoke inhalation in Westmead hospital.

Earlier police released a statement saying police went to the scene after seeing the fire while patrolling nearby.

"Crime scene officers, detectives and fire investigators are waiting for the scene of a fire to be declared safe before attempting to determine the cause of a blaze," the statement said.

"It's not known whether the explosion was the cause – or a consequence of – the fire.

"Detectives are waiting to speak with the injured men to get a clearer idea of the circumstances leading up to the fire."

Eyewitness says blast sounded like a car crash, was heard 2km away

Eyewitness Ethan Roberts was barely a minute up the road from the Wentworthville Hotel when he felt the explosion.

He says it was so powerful that it damaged shops on the other side of the road.

"When I heard the explosion I thought it was a car crash," he said.

"I ran straight down here, and the whole building had collapsed and was on fire.

"I was here 10 minutes before and the building was fine, I don't remember seeing anything out of the ordinary.

"It was so powerful that it knocked the doors out of the shop across the road and everything."

Local man Alex Balanda says he felt the explosion in his house 2 kilometres away.

"My fence shook and it sounded like someone was trying to break into my house," he said.

 "There was one massive bang and then momentarily afterwards there were successive explosions that sounded like gunshots."

"It was an Afghan supermarket.  There was a unit above it, it was a two-storey building and....it's all gone now."

http://tribune.com.pk/story/614815/technical-fault-nine-injured-in-...

Technical fault: Nine injured in gas pipeline explosion in Sehwan

The police and officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company denied any criminal activity behind the explosion. PHOTO: FILE

SEHWAN: At least nine people, including six women and a minor girl, were injured when the main gas supply line from Dadu to Sehwan exploded on Monday.

After the explosion, a fire broke out which soon engulfed four nearby houses and a mosque. The incident created fear among residents as the loud explosion could be heard about three to four kilometres away. The explosion took place in Ghulam Muhammad Khoso village – some 20 kilometres away from Sehwan city.

The police and officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company denied any criminal activity behind the explosion. The injured were taken to taluka hospital, Sehwan, and were said to be out of danger.

“The explosion took place because of the gas pressure in the main supply line,” said Sub-Divisional Officer Iqbal Ahmed Gopang, adding that the supply line would be restored on Wednesday.

Owing to the damage, the gas supply to several areas of Dadu, including Sehwan, Bobak, Talti, Aarawi, Jhangara, Bhajara and Bhan Saeedabad, was disrupted, while the CNG stations in these towns were shutdown because of the suspension.

“It was a technical fault not a terrorist act,” confirmed Sehwan ASP Tariq Wilayat.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2013.

http://theeagleonline.com.ng/news/explosions-as-local-petroleum-dep...

Explosions as local petroleum depot catches fire in Lagos

Huge explosions were reported to have been heard in the Apapa area of Lagos State on Tuesday night when a local petroleum depot went up in flames.
Available information has it that the local petroleum depot is located on Edmor Street, by Wilmer Crescent in Olodi Apapa area of the state.
The fire from the explosion was said to have engulfed two buildings close by.
A two-story building at 12, Edmor Street and a three-story building at number 14 of the same street were gutted by the fire from the explosion.

An electrical explosion at the NSA

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2013/10/08/fiery-explosions-roc...

Fiery Explosions Rock NSA Data Center

Okla. pipeline blast sparks huge blaze, spurs evacuations

October 9, 2013, 2:48 AM

A pipeline explosion in rural northwestern Oklahoma was sending flames shooting into the night sky early Monday.

Deputy Cliff Brinson, of the Harper County Sheriff's Department, says the fire sounds like four roaring jet engines and has flames reaching two football fields high.

He says no injuries have been reported, and residents within two miles of the blast have been evacuated.

A family of three living in a home about 200 yards away escaped unharmed, authorities say.

Engineers with Northern Natural Pipeline are on the scene trying to cut off the natural gas flow to the 30-inch pipeline.

CBS Oklahoma City affiliate KWTV received numerous phone calls and e-mails from viewers saying blaze could be seen from southern Kansas and across the Oklahoma panhandle.

75 firefighters from Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas were on the scene and, despite the size of the flames, the fire was considered under control.

The blast rang out at 11:35 p.m. ET, and authorities shut down nearby Highway 283 as a precaution.

Source

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/11/20925678-explosion-kills...=

Explosion kills girl, injures three, destroys home in West Virginia

NBC News Channel

Fire crews at the scene of a home destroyed by an apparent natural gas explosion Friday morning in Follansbee, W.Va.

By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC News

An apparent natural gas explosion flattened a home in West Virginia on Friday, killing a girl, injuring three other people and damaging at least six other nearby homes, authorities said.

"There's nothing left of that house," Brooke County Sheriff Chuck Jackson said a news conference after the explosion Friday morning in the small town Follansbee, on the Ohio River near the Pennsylvania state line.

Authorities said that a girl was killed and that her parents and her sister were injured. They wouldn't confirm the girl's identity pending an autopsy, but they said the home belonged to George and Tracy Mozingo. Property records show that the Mozingos moved into the home about three months ago.

---

Neighbors told NBC station WTOV of nearby Steubenville, Ohio, that the Mozingos have two daughters, as well as a son, who they said wasn't home at the time of the blast.

The Brooke County school system said crisis counselors were being made available for students and staff at Follansbee Middle School.

The explosion, which occurred about 7 a.m. ET, obliterated the house and could be heard by residents as far as 10 miles away. Some of the six nearby homes that were damaged were described as unlivable.

"I live in the valley below, and I have a stone house, and it blew five of the stones in," Sharon Stewart, 67, told NBC station WPXI of Pittsburgh.   Barbara Bottorf, 77, who lives two doors down from the house, said the explosion blew out several of her windows.

 "I thought it was World War II," she told WPXI. "I thought our house fell in."

Jackson said a neighbor called 911 to report an odor of natural gas shortly before the explosion.

"We had fire companies here," he said. "It was under investigation, and within moments we had the explosion."

"I've been to a number of these natural gas explosions," he said. "This is as bad as anything I've ever seen. I don't have words to describe it."

In a statement, Mountaineer Gas Co. said it was "still too early to determine the cause."

"We have surveyed the area, and there do not appear to be any safety concerns at this time," the utility said. "While all the facts are being determined, we want to assure the public we are on the scene with the fire marshal and local emergency officials."

Another explosion, this time in Moon

House explodes in Moon, second house explosion in two days in the region

Published: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, 7:33 p.m.
Updated 3 minutes ago

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/agencia-efe/131016/at-least...

At least 4 dead in Mexico gas storage plant explosion

October 16, 2013 11:50

Puebla, Mexico, Oct 16 (EFE).- At least four people died and six others were injured in an explosion and subsequent fire at a natural gas storage plant in the central Mexican state of Puebla, authorities said.

In a preliminary report on Tuesday evening's blast at the plant, owned by private company Gas Tomza, state government officials said 20 companies had been temporarily shuttered for safety reasons but that the blaze had already been extinguished.

A two-kilometer (1.25-mile) area surrounding the Chachapa industrial park, where the explosion occurred, was evacuated.

Authorities in the central city of Puebla set up a shelter to house 180 people, although there was no immediate indication of how many families had been forced to leave their homes.

Besides the injured, 58 people, mostly women and children, were being treated for nervous shock, according to the state government.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.

Federal authorities initially said a stretch of the highway linking Puebla city and Orizaba, a town in the neighboring state of Veracruz, had been entirely closed in both directions, but Puebla state officials later said one lane had already been reopened.

Arizona house explosion leaves two in ’critical condition’ http://nbcnews.to/1fGXLen  

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/28/uk-storm-houses-collapse-after-gas-ex...

UK storm: Two dead following explosion caused by ruptured gas main in west London

A man and woman have been found dead in Hounslow, west London,  following a gas explosion that ripped apart three homes.

An uprooted tree ruptured a gas main during this morning’s storm causing a huge explosion, the London Fire Brigade said.

Six fire engines and over 30 firefighters were called to the incident at around 7:30am.

Three houses on Bath Road collapsed as a result of the explosion, while two others were damaged.

At midday the body of a man in his 40s was found by emergency services and at 1:30pm the body of a woman was found.

The man’s next of kin have been informed but police are still trying to identify the woman.

Five people and three dogs managed to escape their homes before emergency crews arrived.

Three more were injured and taken to hospital – a man suffered a cut to the face and a woman a cut to the ear and both have been discharged. An elderly woman suffered burns to her hands and remains in hospital.

In a statement, the Fire Brigade said: ‘Urban search and rescue crews are working to make the structure safe and ensure any fires are put out.

‘Twenty-five people were evacuated from surrounding properties as a precaution. Crews have rescued a dog from one of the houses.’

Station manager Matt Burrows added: ‘When I arrived on the scene I was greeted by a scene of utter devastation and three houses had been completely destroyed. Debris was scattered over an area of about 50 metres and the roof of one of the houses was in a tree across the road.

‘Highly trained search and rescue crews are now searching through the rubble and sniffer dogs are being used to establish whether or not there is anyone inside any of the affected homes.

‘We’re still investigating whether the fallen tree caused the gas explosion or whether the gas explosion caused the tree to fall. It’s likely firefighters will be on scene for much of the rest of the day.’

Emergency crews are still on the scene and Bath road – alongside nearby Hospital Road – have been closed to vehicles.

The damage came as the St Jude storm ripped through England and Wales overnight and this morning.

View the whole gallery: Storm St Jude strikes the UK

Travel networks have been left in chaos with numerous rush hour trains suspended, roads and bridges closed and flights cancelled.

Widespread flooding has created havoc for shop and home owners, while 220,000 households have reportedly been left without power after the storm brought winds of 100mph in some areas.

http://www.abc6.com/story/23886665/apartment-explosion-shakes-pawtu...

Rhode Island

Apartment explosion shakes Pawtucket neighborhood

Posted: Nov 05, 2013 5:45 PM CSTUpdated: Nov 05, 2013 6:02 PM CST

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/05/explosion-fire-total-th...

An explosion and blaze destroyed a three-decker home today in Pawtucket, R.I., officials said.

The cause of the explosion, which went off at about 10:15 a.m. on Mineral Spring Avenue, is under investigation, Pawtucket Fire Chief Jay McLaughlin said.

The fire was contained by around 12:30 p.m.

Two people were taken to Rhode Island Hospital with injuries, said McLaughlin.

The second and third floors of the home were lost in the explosion. The home, worth about $250,000, will be a total loss, McLaughlin said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-06/flats-evacuated-in-lockridge-...

Explosion in block of flats sparks fire in Lockridge leaving 40 people on the street

Updated 45 minutes ago

PHOTO: The fire-blackened unit on the second floor of a block of flats in Lockridge. (ABC News: Graeme Powell)

MAP: Lockridge 6054

Police have ruled out any criminality as the cause of an explosion at a block of units in the Perth suburb of Lockridge.

The blast at a complex of 16 units on Brathwaite Road early this morning caused damage estimated at well in excess of $1 million.

A man pulled from his burning unit by neighbour Ricky Bromfield suffered severe burns in the blast and is in a serious condition in the burns unit at Royal Perth Hospital.

Mr Bromfield says they were woken just after 5:00 am.

"I was asleep, the wife and the kids were asleep, and all of a sudden we heard this big explosion," he said.

"When I ran outside, I've seen building debris everywhere in the flats, and I looked upstairs and I noticed the roof was pretty well demented, it had just been blown off."

Mr Bromfield looked up and noticed smoke coming from his friend's unit.  Story continues.....

Gas explosion hits Zamboanga City

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=179533

Household gas blast in Russia kills 4

Texas Town Evacuated After Massive Pipeline Explosion

A Chevron natural gas pipeline has exploded in Milford, Texas, and the town has been evacuated, according to the Associated Press.

CBS in Dallas reports that a second pipeline nearby might also be in danger of exploding.

The flames can reportedly be seen for miles. Milford is about 50 miles south of Dallas. The town has a population of about 700, according to Reuters.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/d2997e85e9804dbbbb24c2f8d45b2...

WARSAW, Poland — A gas pipeline exploded in a village in Poland on Thursday, setting fire to homes, killing three people and injuring at least 13, police said.

Andrzej Borowiak, a spokesman for Poznan police, said the blast occurred in the early afternoon in the western village of Jankow Przygodzki.

Joanna Pawlaczyk, spokeswoman for a hospital in nearby Ostrow Wielkopolski, said one adult and one child were in serious condition.

Flames and smoke are billowing above rooftops and houses burning after a gas pipeline exploded during renovation works in Jankow Przygodzki, western Poland, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. Several people were killed and at least 10 injured in the early afternoon blast probably triggered by damage to an existing pipeline while a new pipeline was being installed along it. (AP Photo/Pawel Jaskolka)

Firefighters' spokesman Pawel Fratczak said two people were missing.

He said an existing pipeline was probably damaged while a new pipeline was being installed next to it. Some 12 houses were on fire, he said.

Malgorzata Polkowska, a spokeswoman for the Gaz-System S.A. pipeline operator, said it was the first such accident since the company was founded in 2004, and called it a "very large scale tragedy."

The pipeline in Jankow Przygodzki is part of a local pipeline installed in 1977. A new pipeline is being installed next to it in a modernization plan. There was no gas in the pipeline being laid in the ground, Polkowska said. A special commission is to determine the cause of the explosion.

Local residents told TVN24 that people were running out of their houses crying after the blast. TVN24 footage showed yellow flames and black smoke billowing above rooftops, and some houses on fire. They were still burning hours after the blast.

http://www.turnto10.com/story/23999332/underground-explosions-rock-...

Underground explosions rock Jewelry District

Posted: Nov 18, 2013 11:51 AM ESTUpdated: Nov 18, 2013 1:04 PM EST

PROVIDENCE -

Several underground explosions rocked the Jewelry District of Providence on Monday morning, blowing at least three manhole covers out of the street.

Two people were being treated for minor injuries at Rhode Island Hospital.

The explosions happened at about 11 a.m. in the area of 300 Richmond St. A representative for Women and Infants Hospital said the building houses administrative offices for the hospital.

Some surrounding buildings were evacuated.

Firefighters responded to 300 Richmond St. earlier in the morning when workers reported smelling an odor. Sources told NBC 10 that the odor may have come from a smoldering underground electrical fire.

National Grid was at the scene looking for the cause of the explosions.

RIPTA notified bus riders that routes 1 and 3 are being detoured around Richmond Street.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hJg1_78q8EJtBona...

(AFP) – 29 minutes ago  

Brussels — Two people died on Tuesday in an explosion at a refinery in the Belgian city of Antwerp, oil giant Total said.

"We regret two fatalities," said a statement from the company.

An earlier statement said one dead with two missing. The second release made no reference to any more missing.

The French company released no information about the fatalities other than to say the victims were each employees of a sub-contractor.

The explosion occurred at about 1400 GMT on the premises of Total Raffinaderij in Antwerpen, the company said.

It is Total's biggest refinery and the third largest in Europe, turning 17 million tonnes of crude oil each year into petrol, diesel and kerosene.

A company spokesman told AFP the explosion stemmed from a problem in its steam-pipes system, and the statement said operations in this area of the site ground to a halt.

"The refinery is evacuated," it added.

"At this moment, the installations involved are being secured," it said.

Managers stressed that there was "no impact for the environment."

Firemen and police arrive after an explosion at the Total Antwerpen oil refinery at Antwerp harbour, on November 19, 2013 (BELGA/AFP, Jonas Roosens)

http://agmetalminer.com/2013/11/21/gold-mine-explosion-in-guinea-ki...

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/ea05adaabbff4cee879b9fc3d0d58...

Tank battery explosion in Jonah gas field in western Wyoming injures 5 workers, 1 critically

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e8_1385129025

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Oil-pipeline-blasts-...

Sinopec oil pipeline blast kills 35 in eastern China

BY CHEN AIZHU

BEIJING Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:08pm EST

1 OF 6. A man stands next to an overturned car on a street damaged by an explosion at a Sinopec Corp oil pipeline in Qingdao, Shandong province November 22, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/CHINA DAILY

(Reuters) - An explosion in a Sinopec Corp oil pipeline killed 35 people in Qingdao in easternChina on Friday, causing a blaze that took several hours to bring under control and halting operations at a major oil port, media and ship brokers said.

Qingdao is one of China's largest crude oil import terminals, supplying at least two major Sinopec refineries -- the Qingdao plant and Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Corp -- as well as many small, independent refineries.

A Chinese trader said the explosion would disrupt crude flows into China as the blast involved a major pipeline supplying several refineries.

 

 

The explosion in the underground pipeline caused a huge hole to appear in the roadway above and state television showed a truck that had fallen into it, with a residential apartment block in the background.

President Xi Jinping called on local authorities to "spare no effort to rescue the injured and strengthen safety to eradicate such incidents", state news agency Xinhua said.

The Huangdao oil terminal in Qingdao had stopped operations, ship brokers and a port official said.

The local government said on its microblog that the blast occurred at 10:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) as workers were trying to repair leaks in the pipeline. It said oil had spilled into the port, which had also caught fire.

However, a port official said: "The port was not affected by the pipeline blast, but tankers were told to sail away from the port as a safety precaution."

Sinopec confirmed on its microblog that the explosion was caused by a leak in the Huangwei crude oil pipeline. It said the fire was put out at 1 p.m.

State television CCTV, which gave the figure of 35 dead, said 166 people were injured.

"Early investigations showed the spilled oil flowed into the municipal grid, which caused the explosion," the local government said, giving no further details about the grid.

SEA POLLUTION

It said the oil spill had spread across 3,000 square meters of sea water.

Two pipelines at state oil giant PetroChina's storage site in Dalian exploded in 2010, causing a big oil spill and disrupting crude supply and oil product exports at its refineries for weeks.

A witness in the city said there was a power cut in the area lasting for about two hours after the blast.

The China International Marine Containers (CIMC) factory located nearby closed for a period to rehouse about 500 workers whose dormitories had been damaged.

"Ambulances were still operating after 1 p.m. Glass windows in our dormitories were broken. It's terrifying," said worker Zhao Kai.

Sinopec officials could not immediately be reached for comment and it was unclear if there was any impact on the 240,000-barrel-per-day Sinopec Qingdao refinery, which receives imported crude oil cargoes from Huangdao port.

The affected crude oil pipeline connects Huangdao to the city of Weifang in the same province, Shandong.

Update to China pipeline explosion

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/18-000-evacuated-after-pipeline...

18,000 evacuated after pipeline explosion in China kills 47

Beijing: Around 18,000 people were evacuated from a district in east China where an oil pipeline explosion killed 47 people as the largest oil refiner on Saturday apologised for one of the country's worst industrial accidents. 

The blast occurred yesterday in Huangdao district of port city Qingdao when workers were trying to plug a leak after oil from the state-owned pipeline flowed into a municipal pipe network, killing 47 people and injuring 136 others. 

A total of 18,000 people were evacuated from the areas affected by the blast. Students from nearby schools and local residents were evacuated and given masks. 

The latest government report did not, however, state a reason for the evacuation. 

The 176-km pipeline is run by state-owned Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, and links oil depots in Huangdao with Weifang city, home to a few petrochemical plants. 

Some of the oil had spilled into Jiaozhou Bay through the rainwater pipeline, and about 3,000 square metres of sea water was polluted by oil, said the rescue headquarters. 

Sinopec chairman Fu Chengyu apologised for the explosion. In a statement issued today, Fu said he feels greatly grieved by the huge losses of life and property. He apologised to people of Qingdao and the country. 

He said Sinopec will conduct rescue work at all costs and cooperate with the investigation team dispatched by the central government, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. 

Barricades running 3,000 metres long and 10 tons of dispersant are being used to clean up spills in the sea. 22 oil-clearing vessels, 10 fishing boats and six patrolling vessels have been dispatched, Xinhua reported, quoting local officials. 

Water, gas and electricity were cut off in parts of the district after the blast. 40,000 servings of free food were distributed for breakfast and lunch for those affected. 

The local government distributed 2,000 candles to residents in Huangdao after the explosion and has provided water for local residents since last night. 

So far, electricity has been restored in all but two communities in the district, the local government said. 

The series of explosions left cracks in the streets, the longest of which was about 1.5 km. Fires and explosions also occurred on the polluted sea waters at the entrance to the bay. 

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

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-onli...

Another explosion in China.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-11/25/c_132916368.htm

Natural gas pipeline explosion in Missouri caught on camera [Daily Mail; 29 November, 2013]

* The natural gas pipeline ruptured which caused it to explode and burst into flames visible up to 30 miles away

* The cause of the rupture is still unknown

* The Panhandle Eastern Pipe line company experienced a similar failure in 2008 caused by a rupture due to external corrosion of the pipeline walls

A glowing blaze could be seen for miles in Central Missouri early this morning after a 30 inch natural gas pipeline outside of a compressor station ruptured and exploded.

Captian Donald Sattler of the Sedalia Fire Department told NBC that the blast occurred near the town of Hughesville, Missouri. It exploded at around 1:00 a.m. EST.

There were no injuries in Hughesville, a town which has a population of a few hundred people.

Youtube member Mark Mois posted video footage of the flames online. 

Fox reports that the blaze could be seen up to 30 miles away and that there were evacuations overnight to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

An investigation is currently underway to determine what caused the rupture that led to an explosion.

No one from the Pettis County Sheriff's Department was available for comment as to what may have caused the rupture.

A spokesperson for the Sedalia Fire Department told the Mail Online that the explosion ‘luckily occurred in a field and no one was hurt.’ He said he could see the fire from his home 15 miles away.

This is not the first time The Eastern Pipeline Company experienced failure. In 2008, a pipeline west of Pilot Grove, Missouri exploded after rupturing.

According to a Pipeline Failure Investigation Report, the failure occurred due to pipeline wall thinning caused by external erosion.

The wall loss measured at the rupture surface was 75 per cent of wall thickness.

The report also called for testing employees for drugs and alcohol as a possible contributing factor. They all tested negative.

 The Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company is responsible for operating a 6,500-mile pipeline system that delivers natural gas to Midwest and East Coast markets. 

The flames could be seen flickering up to 30 miles away

Luckily no one was injured in this morning's fire that erupted in a field

Smoke drifts from debris near a fire caused by a natural gas pipeline explosion early today

http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/local/gas-blast-house-had-no-gas...

This happened last week but the house had no gas going to it.  They're calling it a "chance in a million" incident.  Not sure if it's a methane explosion or a gas line out on the street.  Regardless, it blew up a home. This is why ZetaTalk has been suggesting to people for years to get out of the cities because gas explosions are going to be a huge problem and even though YOU might not have gas at your own house, chances are there's still gas under your feet close by.

Gas blast house had no gas supply

The gas explosion in Bletchley was a “chance in a million” disaster probably caused by mains gas leaking out along sewer pipes.

And the victim who was pulled from the rubble of her kitchen did not even have gas in the house, the Citizen can reveal.

The woman was cooking dinner on Tuesday last week when there was a huge explosion.

Neighbour James Johnson rushed in to find her buried under bricks and debris.

Miraculously she did not suffer any major injury and is this week living elsewhere while her Gairloch Avenue home is still boarded up.

This week Eaton Manor Councillor Alan Webb said: “What was strange was that the lady did not have any gas. Her gas meter was sealed off and all her appliances were electric.”

Southern Gas is still investigating the explosion but the likely cause is understood to be a gas leak in a mains pipe directly outside the house.

It is believed the gas travelled along the waste pipes and had also spread to other parts of the Lakes Estate.

Said Mr Webb: “Residents some streets away noticed a smell of gas. But the fact that the Gairloch Avenue house exploded seems to have been a chance in a million.”

He has praised and thanked Thames Valley Police, South Midlands Ambulance, the Red Cross, Bucks Fire, MK Council officers, and Rescue Southern Gas Networks as well as friends and neighbours who all helped during the crisis.

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Care-Flight-Called-to-Apparent...

One Hurt in Explosion and Fire at Oil Refinery in Fallon

FALLON, NV - One person has been flown to the burn center at UC Davis after three explosions at the Bango oil refinery in the area of Highway 50 and Bango Road in Fallon.

A resulting fire is mostly extinguished, according to fire crews. Highway 50 in the area was closed to traffic because of hazardous materials fears, but has been reopened.

All employees are accounted for with none missing, according to Churchill County Sheriff Ben Trotter. There are no reports of deaths.

Trotter says the fire may have started when a 24-year-old man working at the plant used a weed burner to heat some lines, but the fire chief says the cause hasn't been determined. The worker using the burner is the person flown to the hospital with burns over almost 60% of his body. He was awake and alert when taken from the scene, but is listed in critical condition.

Three Care Flight helicopters were initially called to the scene, but two were turned back when only one patient needed to be flown.

Bango recycles used oil.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/underground-vault-explodes-fire...

Underground pipeline explodes into fireball in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. — 

Flames could be seen coming up through cracks in the roadway. No injuries were reported.

Six homes were evacuated, and residents of other homes nearby were advised to shelter in place, Baker said. A hazardous materials team was called to the scene.

PG&E crews shut off the flow of gas at 11:37 a.m.

James Gouig, 36, who lives at that intersection with his cousin, said he was at home when he heard a knock at the front door.

At first he was annoyed because he thought it was a salesperson, he said. However, the person at the door turned out to be a neighbor telling him his front lawn was on fire.

He looked out and saw fire burning in an odd formation that consisted of straight lines, he said.

"It didn't look right, so I called 911," he said.

Gouig said it was a scary experience.

"I started thinking about the San Bruno situation and I started freaking out," he said, referring to the September 2010 underground pipeline explosion that killed eight people in that city.

He said his next thought was what to grab from his home before fleeing; he ended up just taking his iPhone.

Gouig told his story to reporters as he waited to be let back into his home, dressed in sweats and sandals in the chilly morning air.

Initially, he said, he didn't know what was going on and was getting information from friends and family members who were watching the situation unfold on TV.

Battalion Chief Baker said the pressure in the pipeline that ruptured was 50 pounds per square inch -- much less than the nearly 400 pounds per square inch of pressure in the San Bruno pipe that burst.

PG&E spokeswoman Brittany Chord reiterated that there was "much less pressure" involved in Tuesday's incident. She also said the San Bruno pipeline was 36 inches in diameter.

She said crews' first priority was shutting off the flow of gas in the pipeline and making sure everything is safe, and that they would then investigate why it ruptured.

She said shutting off the gas flow took a while because the pipe is located 6 feet underground and crews had to shore up the sides of a trench PG&E workers used to make the repairs.

Some residents' gas service has been interrupted, Chord said.

The intersection is a few blocks away from Interstate Highway 580 near Holy Redeemer College. An employee at the college said operations were normal and no evacuations were ordered at the campus.

Teachers, students and staff at Charles P. Howard Elementary at 8755 Fontaine St. were told by emergency crews to stay indoors, but they were not instructed to evacuate, a school employee said.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=9359463

Blue Island Phenol chemical plant fire, explosion injures 2 in Alsip

Updated at 03:43 PM today

December 13, 2013 (ALSIP, Ill.) (WLS) -- Flames and heavy smoke shot out of a chemical plant after an explosion was reported at a chemical plant in Alsip in unincorporated Cook County.

PHOTOS: Refinery Fire

Alsip refinery fire, possible explosion

View all 27 photos

Firefighters remain on the scene after a fiery explosion at a south suburban chemical plant. It happened shortly at the Blue Island Phenol plant before noon in Alsip in unincorporated Cook County.

A building partially collapsed, and a substance believed to be petroleum is burning on the ground.

Two people were taken to nearby Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with injuries, hospital spokeswoman Cindy Jacanowski said.

A MABIS Decontamination unit also was at the scene.

Scott Poncinie, a Chicago State student who lives about three blocks away, said he heard a muffled noise just before noon and then his entire house shook.

"I thought it was an earthquake at first," Poncinie said.

Scott Allen, a spokesman for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said that invesitgators from the agency were on their way to the scene.

http://www.hngn.com/articles/19500/20131213/gas-explosion-western-c...

22 Miners Trapped In Gas Explosion In Western China Coalmine

By Krittika Sengupta | Dec 13, 2013 07:56 AM EST

An update to Starr's post...  21 of the miners are now deceased.  4 still trapped.

21 Miners Killed in Gas Explosion in Guizhou 

http://shar.es/OqiRw via @sharethis