Explosions on the rise

[Kojima]

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An oil field exploded in Basra Iraq [Iraq Oil Report ; Published September 20, 2011]; Comment by Starr DiGiacomo

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List of comment about gas explosion, in order of posted time; as of 2011-09-01

 

1) SOMERVILLE, Ohio, US; "Investigation continues in house collapse"

2) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. US; "Bakersfield resident hurt in natural gas explosion"

3) Pompton Lakes, NJ, US; "Update: Suspected gas explosion levels home in Pompton Lakes [raw video]"

4) Brantford, Ontario, Canada; "Natural gas explosion levelled Brantford house: fire marshal"

5) Warren, MI, US; "City of Warren Home Explosion Underscores Need for Natural Gas Safety"

6) Castleford, West Yorkshire, UK; "Dramatic footage shows huge gas explosion at Yorkshire home"

7) Warren Park, Harare, Zimbabwe; "2 seriously injured in Warren Park gas explosion"

8) Logan City, south of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia; "Seven children killed in gas explosion at house"

9) Herscher, IL, US; Douglasville, GA, US; "This Week In Natural Gas Leaks and Explosions – Aug. 22, 2011"

10) "Seven children killed in gas explosion at house" [See 8)]

11) Lakeview, MI, US; "Explosion inside Lakeview house causes fire, couple escapes with minor injuries"

12) Newborough, Victoria, Australia; "Gas blast destroys Newborough garage"

13) Cato, Montcalm, MI, US; "Couple escapes house explosion"

14) Glenrock, Converse, WY, US; "Oilfield explosion claims three"

15) St. Augustine, Fla, US; "Gas Station Explosion Site in St. Augustine now 'Stable'"

 

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* Comment by Starr DiGiacomo

We'll be seeing an uptick in unusual home and business gas explosions and I'm trying to locate specific ZT on the matter.  Below is a refresher for the many gas related news articles.

http://zetatalk5.com/index/blog0214.htm

SOZT

Fault lines, when adjusting, do not just rip apart one day during a dramatic earthquake. They most often creep. Laying gas lines along or across a fault line is asking for an accident of this sort. Fault lines are also seldom so clearly delineated that one can go a mile in this or that direction and avoid their action. Where a slip-slide fault such as the San Andreas will often leave a clear line on the surface, this is only the surface action, not what occurs in the rock layers on either side which can fracture for a long way to either side during any movement. The gas company, or the age of the pipes, will be faulted but in truth the finger should be pointed in many directions. The public, who insist on living at such a scenic spot, is to blame. Officials, who zoned for housing are to blame. The public utility company, for allowing gas lines in the area, is to blame. But this will change nothing, while man continues to live on the San Andreas, even as it awakens. EOZT

http://www.zetatalk5.com/ning/18sp2010.htm

SOZT

The danger from radon gas will not be increased as a result of the pole shift. Radon gas is emitted by rock containing uranium, which is degrading. In normal circumstances, where air can circulate, it is disbursed rapidly as is any methane created by decay of organic material. The danger from these gasses comes from confinement - being trapped in a mine, a basement, or beneath the permafrost. The dangers are well known. For methane, it is explosions. An accumulation of methane gas can be identified by the smell of rotten eggs, or as some have described it, dirty socks or cabbage soup. For radon gas the danger is lung cancer, from the continual exposure to the radioactive air. Radon gas is odorless, and cannot be detected except by specialized equipment not in the hands of the average person.

In that the pole shift, or the Earth changes preceding the pole shift, can fracture rock and release pockets of either gas, survivors should be cautious about huddling in bunkers. You are safer out in the open air, or in a trench you have dug that will allow the pole shift winds to pass over you, but nothing to fall on and crush you. The fact that both methane gas and radon gas can accumulate in the bunkers of the elite is one of the reasons we have stated that they have dug their own graves. EOZT

http://www.zetatalk5.com/ning/12mr2011.htm

 

* Comment by Starr DiGiacomo

SOZT

Anyone watching the news, for instance the news on the San Bruno explosion in a distribution line close to the San Andreas Fault line, knows that gas in any form is a danger. Oil and gas refineries explode when rigid piping cracks. Oil or gas wells explode when the ground around them moves. And the gas distribution lines running under cities are no exception. They likewise will explode. Gas lines, whether along the street or within a home, are rigid. In some cases automatic shutoff valves can limit the amount of gas available for an explosion by sensing a drop in pressure, but this is always after the fact. The explosion has already occurred. Utilizing gas on a planet prone to earthquakes was a mistake to begin with, but man never thinks of the consequences when striving for modern conveniences. We have advised turning off the gas at the street, though when the street explodes and your neighbor's homes are on fire you are not likely to escape the holocaust. A better alternative is to live in an area where gas is not available, as in your rural safe location where you will be doing a form of camping while gardening. A campfire at night, for cooking and washing and a bit of friendly light before bed. Nothing explosive. EOZT

http://www.zetatalk5.com/ning/02oc2010.htm

 

* Comment by Starr DiGiacomo

SOZT Answer: It is no accident that the New Madrid fault lies under the Mississippi River near Memphis, as rivers form in lowlands created when land pulls apart, separating the rock fingers and weakening support for the land. Thus, the Ohio River bed also is an indication of where rock fingers will pull apart. Two adjustments in Kentucky, a day apart, are not an accident, but an indication of the speed at which the stretch zone is starting to adjust. Rail lines are frequently an early harbinger of such adjustments, as they run long distances, whereas structures within cities, such as tall buildings, take up relatively little space and have a small footprint. Our warning that imploding cities will be experienced, before the hour of the shift, are in this regard. Be warmed, it will not just be your rail lines and gas and water mains that will shatter and be pulled apart during the stretch. The foundations of your tall buildings will likewise be vulnerable.EOZT

http://www.zetatalk5.com/newsletr/issue008.htm

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[Original post on January 20, 2011]

Original title: Gas explosion kills 1, injures 5 in Philadelphia

 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/19/pennsylvania.gas.explosion/index.h...

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The explosion occurred in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood
• The blast killed one utilities worker and injured five other people
• Some of the injuries are serious

(CNN) -- A gas main explosion in Philadelphia Tuesday evening killed one utilities worker and injured five other people, a fire department official said.

Philadelphia Gas Works employees were responding to a gas main break in the city's Tacony neighborhood when the explosion occurred, fire department spokesman Jim Smith said.

"They were trying to control it and found a source of ignition," according to Smith, who said four PGW employees and a firefighter were among the injured. He said some of the gas workers' injuries were serious.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/natural-gas-explosion-philadelphia-...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/caught-on-tape-gas-main-explodes-126...

[Kojima]

Major explosion rocks petrochemical plant in Taiwan: The China Post/Asia News Network; Saturday, Apr 07, 2012

A major explosion at a CPC Corp., Taiwan plant in Kaohsiung has caused local residents to worry about their safety and disrupted the local petrochemical supply chain. The explosion, which occurred at about 3:28 a.m., sparked a fire that gutted the plant for about five hours before being extinguished.

No casualties were reported. The state-run firm also claimed that no pollution was detected because of the accident.

Operations of the plant and other areas of the same refinery complex were halted, with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu instructing that the heaviest possible penalties be imposed on CPC over the accident.

The southern city's environmental authorities slapped CPC with a NT$1 million fine for creating a hazard to the environment.

CPC Chairman Chu Shao-hua later inspected the site and offered an apology to local residents.

But Chu, pledging reinforced efforts to improve safety, said the accident will not affect the company's oil costs.

The accident comes close on the heels of a major increase in gasoline prices by the state-run company, which has led to complaints from the public and created pressure on inflation.

Firms in the plastics industry said the CPC accident has disrupted the supply chain, with prices of materials and end-products likely to go up if the plant does not resume operations soon enough.

The explosion and ensuing fire hit a butadiene storage facility at the CPC Kaohsiung refinery, which had had a poor safety record more than a decade ago before improvements were made.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a fractured pipe in the factory's distillation tower, Lee Shun-chin, head of the refinery, said at a press conference.

Losses are estimated to reach about NT$50 million (US$1.69 million) because the plant was ordered to close right after the accident for repairs and safety checks, which will take at least one month to complete, Lee said.

The plant produced 40 per cent of CPC's total butadiene, an industrial chemical used as a monomer in the production of synthetic rubber, Lee said.

Though Lee said no toxic gas or waste water leaked from the complex, the accident has fueled outrage among local residents who have for years complained about pollution from the refinery.

During her inspection of the site, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen was circled by angry protesters.

She told CPC to relocate the aging refinery by 2015 as it has promised. She also urged CPC not to ignore safety at the plants simply because they are soon to be moved.

Kuomintang Legislator Huang Chao-shun also demanded that CPC launch an overall safety check of its oil refinery operations in Kaohsiung.

She said the refinery must stop all its operations until the checks can prove its safety. "We cannot let people live alongside an unexploded bomb," she added.

Huang's call was echoed by opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Tai-hua.

[Howard]

Natural Gas Leak and Ruptured Water Main in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 6 -

Several North Charlotte business owners lost thousands of dollars Friday night when a dangerous natural gas leak forced some of them to evacuate and shut down.

Emergency workers had to close off part of Lasalle Street near I-77 for several hours.

Charlotte fire officials told Eyewitness News they received a call about a strange odor around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

When they arrived they found the natural gas leak. Neighbors were allowed to stay in their homes, but that didn't halt their concerns.

"It's a strong odor, it's a haze in the air and it concerns you," said Latanya Corbett.

A gas station, beauty salon, and barber shop on Lasalle Street were all forced to evacuate due to the incident. Another gas station was allowed to stay open, but business slowed to a crawl on what is usually its busiest night.

Fire officials said they also discovered a ruptured water main that flooded a nearby vacant home around the same time, but at that time, they couldn't say if the incidents were related.

[Howard]

House Demolished in Apparent Gas Explosion (Kansas City, Missouri)

Liberty fire officials continue their investigation of the cause of an explosion that demolished a house in the 800 block of Marilynn Avenue off Southview Drive on the west side of Missouri Highway 291 in south Liberty.

According to Fire Chief Mike Snider, they received multiple 911 calls after firefighters were dispatched to a report of a house fire about 6:30 a.m. Friday, April 6.

“While they were en route, it exploded, causing severe destruction,” Snider said.

Snider did not have an estimate of damage to the destroyed house and said there was also some damage to other surrounding houses. Debris hung in tree surrounding the destroyed structure.

Snider said the house was a rental and was empty. There were no injuries, but the explosion startled surround neighbors.

Willie Penn, who lives on the corner of Marilynn and Southview, just one house away from the scene of the explosion, said he works nights and when he arrived home, he smelled gas.

“Last night there was a very bad smell of gas, and I saw an MGE truck in the neighborhood when I went to bed,” Winn said. “I didn’t hear the explosion. I guess I was sound asleep.”

Heidi Wynn, who lives down the street from the explosion, said it woke up her family.

“I was asleep and it lifted my bed up and shook my daughter’s bunk bed,”

she said. “I ran outside to find out what was going on, and debris hit me in the face.”

She said she was not injured because the debris was soft pieces of insulation, but there was also glass scattered about the neighborhood.

Roxanna Swaney, who lives on the east side of Missouri Highway 291, said she heard a thunderous boom and went outside to check. She said the explosion shook her house and rattled her windows.

“It sounded like a jet engine had dropped on the house,” Swaney said. “Then I heard sirens and saw the flames and black smoke through the tree.”

[Kojima]

Gas at a glance

April 4, 2012 —

Explosion at PA compressor station under investigation

Emergency personnel from three counties responded to an explosion at the Lathrop gas compressor station in Springville Township, PA that shook homes a half-mile away.

The blast occurred on March 29 at approximately 11 a.m. and produced dark clouds, which spilled from a hole blown in the roof of a building. According to Williams Partners LP, which owns the station, no one was injured. Williams spokeswoman Helen Humphreys said that local authorities were notified and personnel were evacuated. The cause of the blast and extent of the damage is being investigated. The station was sold to Williams by Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. in 2010. The PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was notified of the explosion at approximately 11:30 a.m. and began monitoring air quality around the site. A full-scale investigation is planned by DEP, which has permitted seven compressor engines for the site.

[Kojima]

Explosion rocks natural gas compressor station

BY LAURA LEGERE (STAFF WRITER)

Published: March 30, 2012

SPRINGVILLE TWP. - An explosion at a natural gas compressor station in Susquehanna County on Thursday morning blew a hole in the roof of the complex holding the engines, shaking homes as far as a half-mile away and drawing emergency responders from nearby counties.

The 11 a.m. blast at the Lathrop compressor station off Route 29 sent black and gray clouds billowing from the building for several hours, but the damage was contained to the site and no one was injured, said a spokeswoman for Williams Partners LP, which owns the Lathrop station.

Automated emergency shutdown procedures stopped gas from entering or leaving the compressors, and Williams will do a full investigation of the cause and damage as soon as it is safe to go back into the building, Williams spokeswoman Helen Humphreys said.

"The emergency shutdown equipment did work properly to isolate and minimize the incident," she said. "Emergency procedures were immediately activated. That included notifying local authorities and first responders, and evacuating all personnel."

The Lathrop station pressurizes and dehydrates natural gas from Marcellus Shale wells in the county for transport through interstate pipelines, including the Tennessee and Transco, which bring the gas to market. The station was sold to Williams by Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. as part of a deal announced in 2010 that also included a second compressor station and 75 miles of the natural gas drilling company's gathering pipelines.

Cabot spokesman George Stark said the company was working at its well sites Thursday to make sure they were not sending gas to the Lathrop station. He was unable to provide an estimate of how many wells were influenced by the interruption.

"We're working on rerouting the gas to other, operating compressor stations," he said. "We've got multiple ways we flow our gas."

In a press release Thursday, Cabot referred to the incident as a "flash fire, which extinguished itself immediately" and said it was moving approximately 365 million cubic feet of gas per day through the station before it was shut down.

"The investigation has just begun as to equipment damage, if any, the length of disruption or potential impact," Cabot CEO Dan O. Dinges said in the statement.

Colleen Connolly, a spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection, said regulators were alerted to the explosion at around 11:30 a.m., and inspectors spent the afternoon monitoring air quality around the site after gas escaped from the station.

"The natural gas release valve was quickly shut off," she said. "So far, the levels are coming back acceptable, and there is no danger to the public."

The DEP has permitted seven compressor engines for the site, although it was unclear Thursday how many were running at the time of the fire.

"We're going to begin a full-scale investigation into how this happened," she said, "what was going on up there and the situation with the permits - how many compressors were operating up there and how many they were allowed to operate."

Annette Allen was ready to evacuate with her cats late Thursday morning after she heard the boom.

Sitting in her home on Route 3004, Ms. Allen said she listened intently to the scanner as emergency officials spoke about using foam to put out a fire at the compressor station on state Route 29.

"I had my cat cages set, ready to go if they did evacuate us," she said. "It was a big explosion, a big whooshing sound."

She said she now worries that a larger explosion will destroy her home and others.

Peter Patel, owner of Checkered Express in the center of the town on state Route 29 at Route 3004, recalls seeing many firefighters and other officials passing by his store to the site.

"We saw everybody run and we knew something big happened," he said, adding it was the biggest event he has experienced in the last six years as the owner of the convenience store and gas station.

Springville Volunteer Fire Company First Assistant Chief Jason Rinker said more than seven fire companies responded.

"It was hectic," Assistant Chief Rinker said.

After the explosion, he said Williams officials shut down lines to the compressor station.

"We let the gas burn off itself," Assistant Chief Rinker said. "Once things calmed down, we extinguished the fire that was there."

[Kojima]

Preparing for pipeline incidents

Pipeline Safety

MANSFIELD, La -

East Texas officials are investigating the cause of an early morning pipeline explosion. It happened around 6am near the Gary Compressor station in Panola County. The pipeline and compressor station, which are owned by MarkWest Energy Partners, were immediately shut down.

There were no injuries or structural damage. The fire did reach brush surrounding the pipeline, but was quickly extinguished by the Gary Volunteer Fire Department.

The situation is one firefighters across the Ark-La-Tex say they're very familiar with. At the DeSoto Parish Fire District 8 Staion, there are training simulations used for every scenario, including pipeline explosions.

"There's a lot of pipelines crossing this area and now with the natural gas production going on, there's even a tremendous amount more of pipelines," said DeSoto Parish Fire Chief, David Manning. "I believe it to be a safe industry. We have very few emergencies dealing with the pipelines. Usually it's just an isolated incident on a small line that's been in place for a number of years."

Manning says, while pipeline incidents may be few and far between, his crew must be prepared in the event one occurs. He says new technology helps them fight scientifically, with gas monitor devices. But, battling the blaze is only half of the task. Manning says the main focus is usually on evacuation procedures. He recommends every resident living near a pipeline to have an evacuation plan, although he says they may never need it for these situations.

"I have a pipeline that was put in in the 1930s running right throught the back of my house through my pasture," said Manning. "Hazardous materials of all types are a part of our everyday lives and as long as they stay in containment then it's not a big issue people need to worry about."

[Kojima]

Panola County gas line explosion rocks homes before dawn

POSTED: Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 8:00am

UPDATED: Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 8:56am

Panola County officials say there were no injuries in a gas line explosion near Gary, Texas that shook some homes just before dawn.

The Panola County Sheriff's Office says the accident happened around 6:00 am this morning. No damage was immediately reported, but according to officials, the wellhead where the explosion happened has been shut down.

According to Panola County Sheriff's office the natural gas line is owned and operated by Mark West Pipeline Company and will be beginning repairs as soon as possible.

Early morning pipeline explosion rocks homes in Carthage area

Posted: Apr 04, 2012 8:47 PM JST

Updated: Apr 05, 2012 2:49 AM JST

CARTHAGE, TX (KSLA) -

The Panola County Sheriff's Office confirms it was some type of pipeline explosion that shook homes south of Carthage, Texas just before 6:00 a.m. Wednesday. 

A 12" natural gas transmission line ruptured and exploded. The fire singed nearby trees and knocked out nearby power lines. The pipeline was capped before 8:00 a.m., cutting off the fuel to the fire, which could be seen and felt from a distance.

The line belongs to MarkWest Energy, a midstream natural gas operation based out of Carthage. A spokesperson says the cause of the rupture on the site near Farm to Market 999 and Co Rd 420 is under investigation.

Reports of the explosion and fire in Gary south of Carthage began coming into the KSLA News 12 newsroom just after 6:00 a.m.

"We live outside of Carthage, and can see and feel this Explosion.. Any Word on what it could be," asked the first, along with a picture (right) of a smokey, glowing horizon over darkened treetops.

Another picture came in moments later from Amanda Thames, simply saying, "Explosion happened just before 6am."

"Huge gas well fire near So. Panola Co & Shelby Co. Emergency are trying to find it. It shook houses in a majority of this area," read one tip from Cynthia Kaye McKnight.

Late Wednesday morning, MarkWest vice president Bert Dillmann issued a statement on the incident, confirming the fire was detected on their pipeline about one-quarter of a mile from the Gary Compressor Station:

"There were no injuries or structural damage to the compressor station equipment. The pipeline and compressor station were immediately shut-down and MarkWest's emergency response plan was implemented. MarkWest's personnel were immediately dispatched to the location. The fire, which was limited to brush surrounding the pipeline, was quickly extinguished by the Gary Volunteer Fire Department who left the site by 8:00 a.m. CDT. MarkWest is investigating this incident and will work with local and state authorities throughout this process. MarkWest would also like to thank the first responders for their quick and professional response."

Copyright 2012 KSLA. All rights reserved.

[KM]

Six people including pregnant woman rescued from gas explosion that ripped through three flats as they slept

• A man was trapped under rubble for more than two hours and a family of four - including pregnant mother - needed to be rescued from the roof
• Elderly woman was also found and taken to hospital with serious burns
  
• More than 60 people were evacuated from their homes following explosion at 2.30am
  
• Firefighters said it is 'extremely lucky' that nobody was killed

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123875/Clacton-gas-explosi...

[KM]

Nightclub collapses into heap of rubble after gas explosion narrowly misses passers by

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2112825/Bizz-Bar-nightclub-...

[Starr DiGiacomo]

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/c810145f860644aea386b8288bdcc...

Explosion, fire destroys gas station in eastern Kentucky; cause being investigated

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS   First Posted: March 05, 2012 - 8:18 am Last Updated: March 05, 2012 - 8:18 am

CLAY CITY, Ky. — Fire officials say an eastern Kentucky gas station has been destroyed after an explosion and fire.

Towering flames at a Clay City BP gas station were first reported early Monday, according to WLEX-TV in Lexington ((http://bit.ly/xPbY3i). No injuries were reported.

Officials told the station that there was an explosion, but they aren't sure what caused it.

Fire officials say they don't suspect foul play, but the cause is under investigation.