Officials continue to investigate the circumstances that led to a tremendous natural gas explosion in northern Texas on June 7. The explosion left one person dead and injured several others.
Those killed and injured were part of a work crew assigned to dig holes for the installation of utility poles. They were digging for subcontractor C&H Power Line Construction Services, which in turn was hired by the Brazos Electric Cooperative.
Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) representatives arrived early at the scene of the fatal accident, and other federal agency officials are expected to investigate, as well.
The blast, some 50 miles southwest of Dallas in rural Johnson County, erupted when the workers struck a 36-inch underground natural gas pipeline during their digging operations. What remains to be learned is why the crew were either unaware of the pipeline or mistaken as to its location, and whether the pipeline was properly marked to warn of its presence.
Nearby residents reported that they heard an initial, huge explosion, followed by a continuing roar, presumably generated by the rush of burning natural gas escaping from the breached pipeline. In the meantime, tremendous gouts of flame could be seen shooting skyward out of the ground.
The worker who was killed was 45 year-old James Robert Neese, of Ramona, Oklahoma. Authorities report that his body was found some 600 feet away from the blast site. Current information indicates that seven other members of the utility crew were transported to nearby hospitals. Some were later released, while others remained hospitalized in the explosion's immediate aftermath.
According to media reports, pipeline owner Enterprise Products Partners LP, of Houston, promptly detected the break in the 36-inch pipeline. Automatic valves shut off the gas flow, allowing the fire to burn out some two hours later. Until the fire was extinguished, emergency responders were unable to approach the area due to the intense heat.
The area where the blast occurred is a major petroleum drilling region, one
criss-crossed by a substantial network of intrastate pipelines. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Texas has some 45,000 intrastate natural gas pipeline miles, more than any other state. Including interstate natural gas pipelines, the figure exceeds 58,600 miles.
The intrastate network in Texas has experienced significant growth in the past several years due to increased demand for pipeline capacity caused by the rapid development and expansion of natural gas production in the Barnett Shale Formation of north Texas, the EIA says. The area of the June 7 blast appears to be located within the Barnett Shale Formation zone, although Enterprise Products Partners LP stated to the media that the pipeline at issue carries natural gas from western Texas to users in the eastern part of the state, as opposed to natural gas derived locally.
The primary question remains as to who is responsible for the massive explosion and the resulting death and injuries among the utility crew members, as well as any property damage caused by the blast. Significant concerns will be determining what steps were taken to ensure that the utility crew was properly informed of the location of natural gas pipelines or similar underground utilities prior to their digging operations, and whether the ruptured gas pipeline was properly mapped and marked to alert persons to its subsurface presence. Resolving those questions could lead to improved methods and procedures, thus enhancing safety for others working in the vicinity of potentially deadly natural gas pipelines.
Experienced industrial accident attorneys, with the skills and expertise to evaluate and pursue claims on behalf of injured parties, will be a valuable resource to aid those who were harmed in the natural gas pipeline explosion.
If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury due to a catastrophic event, call Arnold & Itkin LLP toll free at (866) 222-2606 or contact us online using the form on this page.
Although there were some reports of minor burns, at this time it appears as though there were no significant injuries. Company officials said they have accounted for all their employees, although two employees were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital Southeast as a precaution due to breathing problems. One has since been released.