Cleburne Texas Gas Explosion – Cleburne TX Blast

A gas line erupted Cleburne Texas Monday after utility workers accidentally hit the line.

The explosion caused confusion among officials in its immediate aftermath, with one city official saying three people had been killed. The official, Cleburne City Manager Chester Nolen, later said that after fire officials and the gas line operator extinguished the fire, he was unsure if anyone was killed.

Heat from the blast forced firefighters to stay about a half-mile away until the gas flow was shut off. [via]

At least seven of the workers went to the hospital following the explosion. Gary Marks, CEO of Glen Rose Medical Center, said two people were treated and released, and four others were in stable condition. One patient was taken to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. Spokeswoman Whitney Jodry did not have person’s condition.

The gas line is owned by Houston-based Enterprise Products Partners LP. Spokesman Rick Rainey said Enterprise’s control room immediately identified a break in the line near Cleburne, about 50 miles southwest of Dallas. Te 36-inch line was equipped with valves that automatically shut down gas to that section of pipe, and the fire was out about two hours after the explosion.

The pipeline helps carry gas from West Texas across the state to utilities, distribution companies and commercial users on the eastern end of the state. Rainey said the company would work with customers to avoid any disruption to their service from the fire.

The injured workers were digging for a subcontractor hired by Waco-based Brazos Electric Cooperative, Snow said. A message seeking comment from that company was not immediately returned. A spokesman for the subcontractor, Oklahoma-based C&H Power Line Construction Services, did not immediately respond to a call for comment either.

Snow said officials were investigating whether the gas line was marked. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were also at the scene.