Plantation explosion fueled by open gas valve: report

Explosions occur far too frequently in the United States.

They’re simply unavoidable. Set a Google alert for “explosion,” and your inbox will be inundated with updates.

Here is a look at three explosions, and their aftermaths, from this year:

Plantation explosion fueled
by open gas valve: report

From The Real Deal: An open gas valve fueled the July 6 Plantation explosion at a shopping center that injured 22 people, decimated a former pizza restaurant, and damaged other buildings in the Fort Lauderdale suburb.

Still under investigation is how the gas valve was turned to the open position shortly after 7 a.m. on July 6, mere hours before the explosion at 11:28 a.m.

The open valve allowed gas to accumulate in building that a former tenant, Pizzafire, had vacated. State investigators said an electrical spark from an air conditioning system still in use probably triggered the Plantation explosion.

Plantation explosion: video assistance

The state report was issued by the Florida Department of Financial Services and its subsidiary agency, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, which succeeded the Plantation Fire Department as the agency in charge of the investigation.

Video from a minivan’s dashcam confirmed the time and location of the explosion at the former pizzeria at the Market on University shopping center in Plantation. The building is expected to be demolished.

(Note: The Real Deal is a news organization that covers commercial and residential real estate news with a focus on New York City, Los Angeles, and South Florida.)

An open gas valve fueled the July 6 Plantation explosion that injured 22 people, decimated a pizza restaurant, and damaged other buildings in suburban Fort Lauderdale.

Downtown Durham explosion
ruled as accidental

From WWAY-TV, North Carolina: Officials for the City of Durham Fire Department said the April 10 downtown gas explosion that killed two people and injured 25 was ruled accidental.

The department’s Origin and Cause Investigation Report comes on the heels of a three-month investigation in which more than 25 people were interviewed, and numerous processes, 911 calls, and videotapes were examined and reviewed.

The first 911 call, at approximately 9:11 a.m., was made by a woman driving in the area. She reported smelling gas.

Key investigation findings in the report revealed that the explosion occurred at 115 North Duke Street when “an explosive atmosphere” was created when a gas service line was struck during a horizontal boring operation. The breach enabled gas to flow until reaching an ignition source.

The devastation killed two people: Kaffeinate coffee shop owner Kong Lee, and Jay Rambeaut, a Dominion Energy employee rushing to shut off the gas.

Investigation continues
into Kentucky explosion

From Kallanish Energy News: Federal and state agencies are continuing their investigation into the Aug. 1 pipeline explosion in central Kentucky that killed one person and injured five others. The incident occurred along Enbridge’s Texas Eastern natural gas pipeline near Danville, in Lincoln County.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not yet released the incident site, Enbridge officials said last week. Meanwhile, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ordered the company to take certain corrective actions.

Enbridge said it was working with the Red Cross and other local organizations to provide assistance to those affected by the explosion.

The company has conducted preliminary air, soil and water sampling that show no risk to human health, a company spokesperson said.

Enbridge said it was working to return to service two adjacent 30-inch natural gas lines shut down as a safety precaution after the explosion. There is no timeline for when those lines might resume moving natural gas. Company officials said earlier that the line would be shut down for at least a week.

The pipeline, known as Line 15, was moving roughly 1.7 billion cubic feet of gas per day from the Appalachian Basin toward the Gulf Coast.

The Texas Eastern pipeline system also suffered an explosion in Ohio in January in which two people were injured.

(Note: Kallanish Energy News is part of Kallanish Commodities, a business media organization that produces news, training, and market intelligence for professionals working in commodities.)