Texas: Pipeline blast leaves crater near Gruver

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Web posted Friday, September 8, 2000 4:23 a.m. CT

Texas: Pipeline blast leaves crater near Gruver

By RICKY GEORGE

Globe-News Staff Writer

GRUVER - A natural gas pipeline ruptured Thursday about 18 miles northwest of Gruver, but no injuries were reported.

Gruver Volunteer Fire Department Chief Sam Gruver said a 24-inch pipeline under about 200 pounds of pressure burst around 10:30 a.m., sparking a fire. The explosion dug a crater that Gruver estimated to be about 20 feet across and 20 feet deep. The pipeline belongs to Duke Energy, which recently bought GPM Gas Corp., Gruver said. "It was out in the middle of nowhere," he said.

The resulting fire burned up three or four power poles, as well as some fencing, grass and milo. A meter house belonging to another company also was damaged by the fire.

The pipeline was at the edge of Farm-to-Market Road 2349, Gruver said. The fire and heat damaged the roadway, forcing the road to be closed.

Volunteer departments from Gruver, Stratford and Spearman fought the blaze.

Duke Energy personnel cut off the gas to about 10 miles of pipeline, Gruver said. The fire from the pipeline was still going at 5 p.m., but Gruver said he expected the fire to burn itself out soon.

The cause of the fire was unknown late Thursday but was being examined by a Duke Energy investigator, Gruver said.

Duke Energy officials could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

A natural gas pipeline explosion in Carlsbad, N.M., on Aug. 19 claimed the lives of 12 people camped nearby, according to Associated Press reports. The pipeline, owned by El Paso Energy Co., parent of El Paso Natural Gas Co., blew up along the Pecos River 25 miles south of Carlsbad, sending a 350-foot-high fireball into the sky and billows of flame into the campsite.

http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/090800/new_pipelineblast.shtml

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), September 08, 2000

Answers

Wow, another one in Texas!

-- K (infosurf@yahoo.com), September 08, 2000.

Yeah, Carl! Welcome back!! Where've you been?

A gas pipeline explosion on the toll highway in B.C. caused a huge crater as well about a month or two ago. I didn't report it here because I couldn't find an online article for it. Several tv news reports showed the damage, though.

Now, if only Dee would report in....

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), September 08, 2000.


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