HIGH PRESSURE
PETROLEUM PIPELINE EXPLODES ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, PA
The pipeline explosion was so loud that it rocked people's homes.
Williams Ohio
Valley not yet sure what caused fire at its ethane pipeline meter station
December
25, 2014 9:14 PM
About
a dozen families have been allowed to return home after they were evacuated
late Wednesday when a fire broke out at the Williams Ohio Valley ethane
pipeline meter station in Chartiers Township, Washington County.
Five
fire departments and a hazardous materials team were called to the scene of the
fire at 933 Western Ave., a Washington County dispatch supervisor said. There
were no injuries.
The
fire occurred about 10 p.m. John Poister, a state Department of Environmental
Protection spokesman, said it resulted from the over-pressurization of a gas
line into the facility. The company, however, has not announced a cause.
“We
do a root-cause analysis and we have an investigation that has started,”
spokeswoman Sara Delgado said.
The
fire was contained to the facility’s flare-area piping and was extinguished
overnight.
“There
were no Williams employees at the meter site when the fire occurred,” Ms.
Delgado said.
“Williams’
Pipeline Control received the appropriate alarms as part of its 24-hour
monitoring and responded by closing the main line valve of its Ohio Valley
ethane pipeline in order to stop the flow of product to the facility,”
according to a Williams statement. It was unclear when the pipeline would be
operational again.
As
a precaution, the dozen nearby homes were evacuated. The fire was under control
by 11:40 p.m., and residents were allowed to return home about 12:30 a.m.
Thursday. Some ethane did escape, but the flare burned off the gas, Ms. Delgado
said.
Mr.
Poister said DEP and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission likely would investigate.
The pipeline transports ethane from Marshall County, W.Va., to Houston in
Washington County.
___________________________________________________________________________
Fire caused by
pipeline explosion at Washington County gas plant under control
December 25, 2014 1:35 AM
A fire broke out Wednesday
night at the Williams Ohio Valley Midstream gas metering plant, located in
Chartiers Township in Washington County, forcing 13 people to be evacuated.Five fire departments and a Hazmat team were called to the scene of the fire at 933 Western Ave., a Washington County dispatch supervisor said. The fire was under control and that there were no injuries, according to the supervisor.
An explosion occurred at the facility at around 10:15 p.m., resulting from the over-pressurization of a gas line into the facility, Department of Environmental Protection spokesman John Poister said. The fire was under control by 11:40 p.m.
It was unclear whether anyone was working at the facility at the time of the explosion.
Gas seemed to have leaked or escaped from the facility, but that leakage was controlled, Mr. Poister said. He said that the DEP and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will be conducting further investigation.
First
Published December 25, 2014 1:11 AM
The pipeline originates in Marshall County, W. Va. and transports ethane to Houston, Pa. Today, the company is responsible for assessing the damage.
Neighbors say flames were so bright they light the sky orange. The explosion was also so loud, they say it rocked their homes.
“I went upstairs to change and get ready for bed. I came down and looked out the side window. There’s a big ball of fire blowing up out of that thing,” neighbor Tracy Sampson said.
Tracy Sampson lives right next to the Williams Partners L.P. Meter Station in Chartiers Township, Washington County. She says the flames continued to get worse so she called 911.
“We got ready and left. We didn’t want to be here. I was just afraid the whole place was going to blow. That’s what you think about all the time living here. It wasn’t like that when we bought it or we wouldn’t have bought it,” Sampson said.
Sampson has lived at her home for almost 16 years. She says she and her family drove around the area for hours until it was safe to return home.
A spokesperson with the company says the fire happened around 10 p.m. Williams’ Pipeline Control responded by closing the main line valve of its Ohio Valley Ethane Pipeline so it could stop producing flow to the facility.
Throughout the night, Williams personnel depressurized the facility and the fire was contained. As a precaution, emergency responders evacuated around a dozen homes in the area.
Residents were allowed to come home around 12:30 a.m. Which held Sampson back from getting her Christmas preparations done.
“I didn’t get my stuff wrapped last night. I had to get up this morning and do it. I guess it’s my fault for being a last minute kind of person, but what are you going to do,” Sampson said.
No one was injured in the explosion. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
Williams personnel are in the process of notifying the appropriate regulatory agencies.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection representatives came to the site last night to assess the incident.
No estimate is currently available so far as when the facility would be returned to service.
