Nixon Ridge pipeline explosion. Marshall County Homeland Security & Emergency Management / Facebook
A newly installed TransCanada natural gas pipeline exploded early Thursday in the remote Nixon Ridge area of Marshall County in West Virginia.
<p style="">No injuries were reported but flames and smoke from the blast could be seen as far as
<a href="https://twitter.com/TDiTirroWTRF/status/1004707717498441733" target="_blank">20 miles away</a>, residents told local media. Area police told
<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-pipeline-explosion-rocks-moundsville-area-northern-west-virginia-sends-flames-high-in-air/" target="_blank">CBS News</a> the fire was "very large—if you can see it from your house, evacuate."
</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aa827c2ee23c5c300c72310daa4060d9"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/ruby.mason.54/videos/1587635261364082/" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p style="">
"It sounded like a freight train coming through, or a tornado, and the sky lit up bright orange, and then I got up and looked out the window and flames were shooting I don't know how far into the sky," Tina Heath-Chaplin, of Moundsville, told
<a href="https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/pipeline-explosion-sends-ball-of-fire-into-air-in-w-va-visible-from-washington-co/764708983" target="_blank">WPXI</a>.
</p><p style="">
<span></span>TransCanada—the same company behind the
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/keystone" target="_blank">Keystone</a> pipeline—said the explosion has been contained and an investigation is underway.
</p><p>
"As soon as the issue was identified, emergency response procedures were enacted and the segment of impacted pipeline was isolated. The fire was fully extinguished by approximately 8:30 a.m," the company
<a href="https://www.transcanada.com/NR-Incident" target="_blank">commented</a> Thursday.
</p><p style="">
"The cause of this issue is not yet known," TransCanada continued. "The site of the incident has been secured and we are beginning the process of working with applicable regulators to investigate, including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="f54db" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="H57OU91576662757"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1004728173500796928" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This is drone footage from @MarshallCoWVOEM Director Tom Hart says this is at the end of Nixon Ridge near Fish Cree… https://t.co/B3OJOM6A0Q</div> — Tessa DiTirro (@Tessa DiTirro)<a href="https://twitter.com/Local12Tessa/statuses/1004728173500796928">1528380838.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
Robert Burrough, the director with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's Eastern Regional Office, told the
<a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2018/06/07/Pipeline-explosion-moundsville-west-virginia/stories/201806070129" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</a> the affected line is likely TransCanada's $1.6 billion, 160-mile <a href="https://www.transcanada.com/en/announcements/2018-01-02leach-xpress-project-placed-into-service-mountaineer-xpress-gulf-xpress-receive-ferc-certificates/" target="_blank">Leach XPress pipeline</a>, which started service in January.
</p><p style="">
Russ Girling, TransCanada president and CEO
<a href="https://www.transcanada.com/en/announcements/2018-01-02leach-xpress-project-placed-into-service-mountaineer-xpress-gulf-xpress-receive-ferc-certificates/" target="_blank">said</a> at the line opening, "This is truly a best-in-class pipeline and we look forward to many years of safe, reliable, and efficient operation on behalf of our customers."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="7b701" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HD83EF1576662757"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="983334061342056448" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Keystone Pipeline Spilled 407K Gallons in South Dakota, Double Previous Estimate https://t.co/H1jwquWveg @EnvAm… https://t.co/jsOwQqDpRY</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/983334061342056448">1523280084.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
From Your Site Articles
- The best of EcoWatch, right in your inbox! - EcoWatch ›
- Oil Spill Now Larger Than Paris Ravages Indonesian Island, 5 Dead ›
- Pipeline Leaks 42,000 Gallons Into Indiana Stream ›
- Pipelines ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less