Article

2008-02-15 Home Front Economy

Explosions Reported at South Texas Gas Pipeline; Injuries Confirmed

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Posted by lotp 2008-02-15 13:42|| || Front Page|| [11 views ] Top

#1 anyone want to start a betting line?

Accident -
Mexicans -
Venezuela -
Paleos -
Al Q -
Al Gore -
???

Posted by AlanC 2008-02-15 14:14|| 2008-02-15 14:14|| Front Page Top

#2 Vancouver BC had an explosion 2 nights ago at a resturant; the police have not yet been able to question the suspect ( in hospital with burns over 40% of his body) so the motive is unknown.

Posted by USN,Ret. 2008-02-15 14:23|| 2008-02-15 14:23|| Front Page Top

#3 From FOX -- it's out

Fire from a pipeline explosion here had nearly burned itself out, three hours after it began.

Hidalgo County Emergency Manager Tony Pena said earlier reports of one injury in the explosion were incorrect. Smoke from the fire was no longer visible and Pena said the fire would probably be out within an hour.

The pipeline is owned by Hesco, Pena said.

Farm-to-Market Road 490 west of McCook was damaged by fire and would likely remain closed through the day, Pena said.

The fire marshal was investigating the cause of the explosion, Pena said.

Black smoke rushed across a cloudy sky in northern Hidalgo County on Friday, driven by winds gusting to 40 mph. Orange flames were visible just over a rise. Flames from the rupture reached 400 feet to 500 feet, Pena said.

Firefighters shut flow of crude oil distillate about 10 miles down the pipeline and were waiting for the rest of the crude to burn off.

Phyllis Pilarcyzk owner of the McCook Trading Post, said she knew little "except it was a big boom." She described the rural farming community in northwest Hidalgo County as "30 miles from anything."

Posted by Sherry">Sherry 2008-02-15 14:31|| 2008-02-15 14:31|| Front Page Top

#4 Since the linked AP headline reads Explosion not Explosions,and because the article at the link mentions only one explosion, I put my bet on "accident", Alan.

Posted by GK 2008-02-15 16:19|| 2008-02-15 16:19|| Front Page Top

#5 Drudge is saying there was a large blast in the tourist section of Mexico City - probably no connection, probably.

Posted by Punky Angens2044 2008-02-15 19:12|| 2008-02-15 19:12|| Front Page Top

#6 Drudge is saying there was a large blast in the tourist section of Mexico City

hopefully it caught a lot of the pickpockets, thieves, and scam artists, rather than tourists. Yeah, I been to the Zona Rosa

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-15 20:13|| 2008-02-15 20:13|| Front Page Top

#7 Standard pipeline explosion due to shoddy, low-rent maintenance, I'm betting. In Houston, refineries seemd to blow up or catch fire all the time with BP being the worst offender, IIRC. Shelter in place - you can go outside when the air is breathable again.

Posted by SteveS 2008-02-15 21:03|| 2008-02-15 21:03|| Front Page Top

#8 After the latest BP explosion the chemical company where I work did a Process Hazzard Assement and we had to do some serious process changes to avoid a similar situation. Sometimes ya don't know it's gonna happen till it happens.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2008-02-15 21:14|| 2008-02-15 21:14|| Front Page Top

#9 Steve S is correct . . . just check the map,

Phyllis Pilarcyzk owner of the McCook Trading Post, said she knew little "except it was a big boom." She described the rural farming community in northwest Hidalgo County as "30 miles from anything."

I'm surprised she heard it - they are almost nowhere, with lots of petro infrastructure around.

Posted by Varmint Hupaiting7485 2008-02-15 22:03|| 2008-02-15 22:03|| Front Page Top

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