Thursday, June 18, 2015

2 PLUMBERS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN NATURAL GAS LINE EXPLOSION IN BELLEVUE, WA AS CONSTRUCTION CREWS WORKED ON RECONSTRUCTION AT A BUSINESS PARK





JUNE 18, 2015

BELLEVUE, WA

Two plumbers  were significantly injured in a gas explosion Thursday morning in Bellevue, officials reported.

The Bellevue Fire Department tweeted about the incident around 9:45 a.m.

Bell fire gas explosion multiple patients 14300 block se Eastgate way
— Bellevue Fire Dept (@BvueFD) June 18, 2015
Officials called it a “large diameter” gas line explosion.
— Bellevue Fire Dept (@BvueFD) June 18, 2015

Bellevue Fire said a gas line was hit as crews worked on reconstruction at a business park. Two patients, a 45-year-old man and a 36-year-old man, suffered significant injuries and were transported to Harborview Medical Center. No one else was injured.

Crews said the 45-year-old was in satisfactory condition at Harborview, and the 36-year-old man was in serious condition and expected to be transferred to intensive care.

Officials said the plumbers didn’t know the gas line was live when they dug a hole to work on it.  That is dumb, very dumb and it almost cost their lives.

A large area is still closed off around the explosion, as officials are working to get the gas lines shut down.

A few evacuations were in place Thursday morning near the building. A portion of Eastgate Way was shut.

Eastgate Way closed between 13500 & 14800 due to fire incident. @BvueFD. Local access only. pic.twitter.com/upV7wgfJG7
— Bellevue, WA Police (@BvuePD) June 18, 2015

This story is breaking and will be updated as more information becomes available.