NEWS: Gas Facility Explosion Near Houston

Early this morning, a gas facility explosion forced the evacuation of dozens of homes. The reason for the explosion has not been determined at this time.


Around 4am this morning roads and houses were closed due to the explosion. A fireball was seen near the bridge over the trinity river.

There was believed to be one person at the facility who was able to escape. The site of the explosion, Moss Bluff is home to the worlds largest storage site for explosive hydrocarbons, there are many manmade underground caverns in the area.

More to come when the cause has been determined.

[edit on 19-8-2004 by deeprivergal]

[edit on 8-19-2004 by Valhall]

[edit on 8-19-2004 by Valhall]

They were working on a 14" gas valve which is used to pump the 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas to pipelines going to places like New York and several other cities. Someone caused a spark and boom.

The salt dome goes down over 1000 feet and holds 16 billion cubic feet of natural gas but like I said above it wasn't quite half full. It took about 2 months to pump the gas into it. If they let it burn it would take at least 3 months to burn out.

Firefighters from Boots and Coots are there and should have the fire under control in a day or two. Some people have already gone back to their homes because the flame isn't toxic and the other domes in the area are in no danger. It was discribed as a big pilot light. You can't get within 200 feet of it without full protective suits.

The evacuation area has had to be expanded due to a second explosion at a Texas gas facility.

cnn.com

MOSS BLUFF, Texas (AP) -- A second explosion rocked an underground gas storage facility early Friday, forcing authorities to expand evacuations around the blaze that continued burning a day after an initial blast triggered by leaking gas.

Boots and Cootes can't do a thing to put that out. It was probably one of the first of 100's of strategic petroleum reserves placed in old salt domes all along the gulf coast. Perhaps they will all fail. I should know I placed many of them there

Originally posted by tututkamen
Boots and Cootes can't do a thing to put that out. It was probably one of the first of 100's of strategic petroleum reserves placed in old salt domes all along the gulf coast. Perhaps they will all fail. I should know I placed many of them there

Now Red Adair is turning in his grave because you said that.

Really though, how come they can't put it out?