The following gas line ruptures all took place within the last month.
In one utility company’s territory in another state, 43 cases of homeowners and builders hitting underground natural gas lines took place, with another 46 happening in June. Some attribute this increase in dangerous gas line incidents to the fact that more construction takes place in summer. Additionally, too many people fail to call the utility companies to have underground lines appropriately marked. In some cases, lines may be improperly marked or a construction worker could make an error when digging, resulting in a catastrophic explosion.
One such explosion happened in yet another state on June 8 when a farmer digging up stumps to remove them struck a natural gas pipeline. An explosion resulted, fortunately not injuring the farmer or anyone else — but highlighting the importance for individuals and companies to call utility companies to make sure all gas lines are marked before any digging begins. In fact, many states have a toll-free number that can be called to obtain this information before digging.
A man in Texas wasn’t so lucky when a natural gas line explosion ruptured last month. The man was traveling in a truck at the same time that an underground gas line exploded, sending the man to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. According to authorities, a 24-inch gas line ruptured before exploding along an area highway. At least one home in the area had to be evacuated for safety reasons. An energy company called Enterprise Products owns the gas line, but further information regarding how and why the gas explosion took place wasn’t immediately clear.
In Kansas, yet another pipeline erupted on June 24th, with wider-reaching implications caused by its aftermath. After that gas line explosion, a heavy mist of natural gas condensate coated an array of trees, crops and homes surrounding the area. Concerned homeowners contacted local officials to complain about the noxious odor detected in the air. While this particular explosion didn’t result in a fire, residents in the area remain worried about potential toxic hazards. In fact, some officials report that natural gas condensate often contains benzene, which is known to be a harmful carcinogen.
Reportedly, officials are now trying to determine whether this specific natural gas condensate poses a risk to any area residents. Unfortunately, in the time that it takes to ascertain this fact, innocent victims could find themselves suffering personal injury. Further, crops and trees have already been reported as having died in the wake of the explosion. This could cause considerable financial harm to farmers and homeowners in the area, not to mention any potential health hazards which may occur.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to gas line explosions, please contact my St. Louis personal injury law firm at 1-888-586-7041, toll-free. We take pride in helping the victims of gas explosions and fires cope with the aftermath of their injuries or, in the most tragic cases, the death of a loved one. Missouri and Illinois personal injury and wrongful death laws provide the victims of such explosions the opportunity to seek financial restitution in a civil court of law. By contacting our firm, you can schedule a free consultation with us to discuss your case. We accept cases on a contingency basis, meaning you will owe us nothing until — and only if — we successfully obtain reimbursement on your behalf.
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http://www.voicenews.com/articles/2014/06/09/news/doc5395e9b81b8a5750665212.txt
http://www.click2houston.com/news/1-injured-when-gas-line-ruptures-near-power-plant-in-wharton-county/26678364