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Title: Another Mystery NatGas Explosion, Except This Time the Gas Company Rushes To Throw Itself Under the Bus.
Source:
WBZ-TV
URL Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/11/ ... ity-for-springfield-explosion/
Published: Nov 26, 2012
Author: Joe Shortsleeve
Post Date: 2012-11-29 22:39:05 by Esso
Keywords: I think, I, need more, tinfoil.
Views: 175
Comments: 11
Gas Company Accepts Full Responsibility For Springfield Explosion SPRINGFIELD (CBS) – Columbia Gas Company admits they are at fault for an explosion that leveled a Springfield strip club. [What lawyer would allow a client to make an admission like that? - Esso] It looked like a missile strike on Friday night. [WTF? Why would they say that? - Esso] Pipe punctured by gas worker in Springfield The massive natural gas explosion injured more than 20 people and damaged 42 buildings on Worthington Street in Springfield. The explosion was caused by a gas company employee sticking a metal probe into an underground pipe. But it was not his fault. WBZ has confirmed the painted marking on the sidewalk indicating the location of an underground gas line was incorrect. It was off by more than two feet. Those markings were put there by Columbia Gas a year earlier, but for some reason did not reflect an elbow turn in the underground pipe. The President of the Gas Company, Steve Bryant, said “Under normal circumstance there would be a straight line from the valve box to where he already knew the service line entered the building. But it did not follow a straight line. So following standard practice he put probe in the ground and struck the service line.” The leaking gas quickly accumulated in the building that housed a strip club and 30 minutes later, some unknown ignition source caused the explosion. Luckily the worker had ordered an evacuation and no one was killed. Even though Columbia Gas has accepted full responsibility, it could still face fines from the Department of Public Utilities. Anne Berwick is the Chair of the Commission. She says, “We know the markings on the sidewalk were placed in the wrong place, so we are going to investigate how that came to pass.” Columbia Gas drew those markings in November 2011. But the company still has not said why. And the state wants to know what caused the initial odor of gas. It was the search for the source of that smell that led to the punctured line and explosion. Poster Comment: I think we're going to be seeing a lot of "NatGas explosions" from now on. 
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#1. To: 4um, HOUNDDAWG (#0)
#6. To: Esso (#1)
(Edited)
Thanks for the ping. I've long suspected that the records of underground utilities (BEFORE YOU DIG CALL MISS UTILITY!) were mapped from memory estimates long after the contractors' backhoes had closed the trenches. They now install tracer tape that's read with above ground metal detector-type sensors and this system is very good. But, every time a Philadelphia worker is electrocuted after striking a buried 12,700V subway feeder with his backhoe, it confirms that digging along MISS UTILITY'S spray painted guidelines on old installations are an act of faith. Also, the probe's penetration into that gas line (pictured above) looks suspicious. Is that black iron or galvanized pipe? (both were legal for direct burial at one time) If so it must have been very thin from corrosion or electrolysis in order to dimple in around the hole that way. Thermoplastic gas lines are in service but that penetration doesn't look like plastic pipe to me. They're hiding more than just a leak probe oopsie. That may be evidence of crumbling infrastructure hidden in plain sight just like the front page pic of the nano thermite beam cut off at GROUND ZERO.
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