Pipeline explodes northeast of Houston; 250 evacuated

modbee ^ | 9-27-04

[LouAvul]

NEW CANEY, Texas (AP) - A pipeline exploded before dawn Sunday, sending plumes of dark smoke billowing for miles and forcing 250 people to evacuate, authorities said. No injuries were reported and no homes were damaged in the blast, about 30 miles northeast of Houston. The fire burned itself out and residents were allowed to return to their homes around noon.

Authorities believe someone caused the explosion by puncturing the pipeline with a trackhoe, which is used for digging, said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams. He did not know whether the damage was intentional.

"This easily could have been a fatality incident," Williams said. "It was sheer stupidity to use that piece of machinery around the pipeline."

He also said someone drove a boom truck, the type with an arm that extends to reach power lines, into the nearby woods, raised it as high as possible and left it there.

[_Jim]

Now this *this* could have been a product of the 'T' word ...

[Servant of the 9]

He also said someone drove a boom truck, the type with an arm that extends to reach power lines, into the nearby woods, raised it as high as possible and left it there.

Sounds like they wanted to watch their attack.

SO9

[freedomson]

T word, ........... troll?

[EggsAckley]

I have to agree with you. The "boom truck" thing is VERY suspicious.

[_Jim]

Or film it ...

[Redbob]

Let's see: somebody punctures a pipeline with abackhoe in the middle of the night;
I wonder if this was an accident?

[Texas_Jarhead]

"...someone caused the explosion by puncturing the pipeline with a trackhoe, which is used for digging..."
Is a trackhoe similar to a backhoe?

[pax_et_bonum]

ping

[American_Centurion]

Subliminal man says:

"Nothing"(terrorist)"to see here"(dry run) "backhoes do their best digging"(sabotage)"at night"(islamokazies).

"Don't worry about the boom truck"(observation post)"it was left there by accident" (training video production).

[blackdog]

Maybe the aerial pipeline patrol business might pick up again? I used to fly about 1,200 miles of gas and electric lines. Very low and very slow hours of some fun flying. The pipelines actually have vibration sensors that go off. You'll get dispatched to certain mile markers to check it out. An airplane can be over a tripped sensor in about ten minutes. It's usually a farmer drilling post holes, or well drilling for a new home somewhat close to the pipelines.

With what we know today though, perhaps the Civil Air Patrol could start doing pipeline patrol? I think it's important.

[_Jim]

Tracked backoe, rather than 'rubber tired' ...

[Old Professer]

Pipelines don't explode; a leak from a puncture, rip or tear will allow liguids or gases to suddenly vaporize and be ignited by a spark or to pool and become trapped for a delayed explosion from some other source of ignition.

[Old Professer]

Same except usually larger with tracks for propulsion rather than wheels and tires.

[deport]

Sept. 27, 2004, 8:54AM

Pipeline explosion suspicious

New Caney blaze sends 250 from their homes

By TODD ACKERMAN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Buster Dean / Chronicle

EVACUATED: Marley Moores, left, and her mother-in-law, Joan Moores, wait out the blaze at a Red Cross shelter at New Caney High School's ninth grade campus on Sunday.

NEW CANEY - In what appears to be a case of criminal mischief, a punctured pipeline exploded before dawn Sunday, causing the evacuation of 250 people but no injuries or significant damage to nearby homes.

Residents near the pipeline said they were awakened around 4:45 a.m. by two explosions — a small one, then a large one — that sounded like thunder or a train or tornado. The sky turned bright orange, they said.

"My windows shook and there was a whooshing sound like a train, so I thought a tornado might be coming," Joe Pachuca said of the explosion, roughly 30 miles northeast of Houston, just west of U.S. 59. "I grabbed my kids and said, 'Let's get the hell out of here.' "

Sebastian Perez, a resident who stuck around to videotape the fire before being evacuated, described the scene as "a big glow, with flames shooting way up there, above the trees."

The fire, with dark smoke that could be seen for miles, was out by 11 a.m. Two hours later, people were allowed to return to their homes in the Timberland Estates area and Silver Trails subdivision.

Officials were attempting Sunday to identify suspects in a felony investigation into the explosion. One or more individuals took a subcontractor's heavy equipment early Sunday morning and apparently began digging with it and punctured the pipeline, said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams. "We are treating this as a criminal act, one where it doesn't matter if the result was intentional," Williams said. "It's unconscionable this was done near homes. This easily could have resulted in a fatality."

Williams said whoever was involved in the incident had to know how to operate the equipment — a trackhoe (a four-wheel excavator) and a boom truck (the type with an arm that extends to reach power lines).

The trackhoe, which previously had been used for utility line construction in the area, was left at the site of the explosion, where the fire raged. The boom truck was driven into the nearby woods, its arm raised as high as possible. Both belonged to a subcontractor of Entergy power company.

The pipeline, one of many in the area, belongs to Mustang Pipeline. The company's spokesperson did not return calls Sunday. Williams said the company began monitoring the air Sunday to determine if vapors from the explosion posed a health threat in the area.

Before that, a small grass fire was contained and a 6-mile stretch of Mustang's propylene pipeline was taken out of service. The fire was allowed to burn itself out. Propylene is a volatile gas used in the production of resins, plastics and gasoline. An initial review of a nearby propane pipeline found it had not been damaged.

Buster Dean / Chronicle

DANGER: Dark smoke from the fire, which was out by 11 a.m. Sunday, could be seen for miles.

Many residents evacuated from the area went to a shelter set up at the New Caney High School ninth-grade campus.

The criminal investigation is being conducted by the Montgomery County fire marshal's and sheriff's offices. The investigation will determine whether this incident can be linked to vandalism that occurred at other area construction sites a month ago.

Williams urged anyone with information about the incident or who saw any suspicious activity in the area Saturday night or Sunday morning to contact Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 800-392-STOP.

todd.ackerman@chron.com

[dljordan]

Not so! We had one blow up in White Bluff, Tn. several years ago about two miles from my house. It was a Sunday morning when it went off and I didn't know what the hell was going on. I was standing on my deck in my bathrobe thinking "whut is that?". It sounded like a 747 coming in for a landing. Incinerated a bunch of cows. It was caused by a leak and then set off by static electricity. No terrorists involved. Of course they can say terrorists were involved in this one and get lots more funding. Think of it, Homeland Security Pipeline Patrol! The possibilities are endless.

[sheik yerbouty]

"Nothing to see here. move along.."

[deport]

Investigators suspect foul play in New Caney pipeline explosion

06:24 PM CDT on Sunday, September 26, 2004

By Mike Zientek / 11 News

Click to watch video

Also online

Slideshow: Pipeline explosion

KHOU-TV

The pipeline exploded just before 5 a.m. Sunday morning.

NEW CANEY, Texas—Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes early Sunday morning in Montgomery County after a pipeline explosion.

It happened in New Caney, near Lavaca and Sabine. Investigators believe the entire mess was caused by somebody who shouldn’t have been there.

Thick clouds of black smoke kept tumbling into the air as the chemical fire raged below.

People who live around the explosion said loud booms woke them up.

William Tippett thought his home was coming apart.

“I was asleep and then I heard this big ol’ loud explosion. First like a minor one, then another one went off, then a third one. It was like a big orange cannon bomb. And then I looked out my window, the whole sky was lit up orange,” said Tippett.

Montgomery County fire investigators said a pipeline ruptured just before 5 a.m.

It was carrying propylene, a chemical used to make plastics.

The worries at first were the smoke belching from the blaze and another propane pipeline nearby.

That’s why officials evacuated around 250 people.

Dozens ended up at the New Caney Ninth Grade Campus, including Rodger Moores and his two daughters.

“It’s boring, tired. Nothing to do for the kids that much, but they’re trying to make do,” said Moores.

The fire burned itself out before noon, but investigators are wondering if this was more than a pipeline rupturing. They’re checking into the possibility someone did this on purpose.

“We have what appears to be a trackhoe that has become involved in this incident,” said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams.

The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office said that trackhoe was onsite to help put lines on new electrical poles.

He also said the pipeline’s owner said nobody was supposed to be digging there.

“Obviously there’s no reasonable explanation that someone would be digging right away on a pipeline in the middle of the night,” said Williams.

By early afternoon everybody was back in their homes, still wondering what caused them to leave in the first place.

Fire officials said the explosion didn’t hurt anyone, didn’t damage any homes, and didn’t pose a large toxic threat. They also said that whether the intention was to hit the pipeline or not, moving construction equipment is an act of felony criminal mischief.

There is no word yet as to whether or not this incident is related to two other incidents of vandalism at Montgomery County constructions sites so far this year.

[Xenalyte]

New Caney + boom truck = rednecks. Not terrorists. Trust me.

[TheBattman]

Except comparing your experience with this one doesn't work - authorities already have concluded that a hole was puched in the pipeline with the trackhoe.

I don't think the question here is IF this was terrorism. The question is WHAT KIND of terrorism - Home-grown or Foreign (Islmists).

[Xenalyte]

Your choice list omits mind-numbing stupidity, which is rampant in New Caney. It's an inbred little place.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Is a trackhoe similar to a backhoe?

More similar than a crack hoe.

[_Jim]

Not so! ... No terrorists involved.

IF you had seen the overhead video shot by a news chopper of this 'crime scener', you wouldn't be saying this ... there were tracks back and forth across the area where this pipeline was buried; I'm surprised that someone in the area didn't hear the activity by the trackhoe and 'call it in' ...

[deport]

Criminal probe underway after pipeline explosion in New Caney

The explosion happened in east Montgomery County Sunday morning just before 5am.

By Jeff Ehling

ABC13 Eyewitness News
(9/26/04 - NEW CANEY, TX) — There are a lot of unanswered questions after a pipeline explosion and fire in southeast Montgomery County Sunday morning.

The flames could be seen for miles, lighting up the southeast Montgomery County sky. But now, the fire is out and residents are back in their homes. The investigation, however, is far from over.

Firefighters are not the only ones who want to know what happened. There is an ongoing criminal investigation, too. Authorities want to know what role some heavy machinery at the site had in the explosion.

"It appears that there was some digging activity going on at the pipeline itself," said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams. "There should not have been any digging activity. This track hoe should not have been in use on the pipeline right of way."

Investigators believe the track hoe caused the damage that started the pipeline explosion. They don't know if the equipment was being operated out of mischief or if the explosion is an accident, but they do know that the equipment should not have been running at 5am on a Sunday.

"It's our indication that from talking to company officials and the pipeline people, that there should not have been a track hoe on that at all," said Williams.

"When I went outside, the trees were moving, the hot air was coming, and the trees were moving back and forth and the windows were shaking and I was like, ‘What's going on?’ and we just took off running out of there," said evacuee Joe Pachuco.

Whatever the cause, the blaze forced 200 people from their homes. The explosion is forcing some in the area to consider leaving.

"We're trying to move," said evacuee Jennifer Ellis. "We just came back from Florida three weeks ago and got away from the tornadoes and hurricanes when we came back out here."

Firefighters say the good news is that no one was injured or killed and despite the six acre fire that was spawned by the fire, no homes were damaged either.

The pipeline that exploded was a six-inch line which carried propylene. It's a product used in making plastics. Officials say the fire burned off all the chemicals and there was no environmental damage.
(Copyright © 2004, KTRK-TV)

[_Jim]

New Caney + boom truck = rednecks. Not terrorists. Trust me.

Okalhoma City + McVeigh + Nichols = good 'ol boys gone bad then by the same logic ...

[Xenalyte]

If you think Oklahoma City is even in the same game - never mind ballpark - as New Caney, you have never been to either.

[lilylangtree]

Some idiot will use this action as an excuse to explain the next $.05 rise in gas prices.

[dljordan]

Well, i'd say the use of a trackhoe precludes vandalism. I'd look at po'd former employees first though.

[JRjr]

I saw the pictures of the things, and, yep, its a backhoe on tracks.

[SQUIDMACK]

diging a hole in a pipeline full of highly flammable chemicals is not the kind of thing rednecks do for fun is it? I mean I think even the drunkest redneck would consider this too dangerous to be fun. However I have seen this dangerous activity occurring frequently in some parts of the world. this is an Arabic tradition isnt it?

[SQUIDMACK]

I know guys that work with digging equipment and they are all scared of hitting gas lines. One guy says it happened to his crew and they all got out of there quick. I just wonder why a person who does this on purpose is willing to risk his life?

[texasbluebell]

< Gulp >

When you say that, _Jim, that really gets me worried...

[_Jim]

If you think Oklahoma City is even in the same game - never mind ballpark - as New Caney, you have never been to either.

Hmmmm ... was a seemingly out of the way, off the beaten path 'site' picked to 'attack', like Oklahoma City, whom some say, like Jayna Davis, that McVeigh had help from Islamic Terrorists - and so out of hand this is to be dismissed as well, not even waiting for the full investigation to be performed?

That's, well, seemingly reckless ... you are aware, are you not, that some of these pipelines and pipleline right-of-ways are marked on various maps and therefore *known* to those outside little redneck bergs like New Caney ...

Methinks it may be you who are not so well 'travelled' into various technical areas, like cross-county petroleum piplines and the like; those areas/that facet of the petroleum industry represents a soft 'underbelly' that terrorists, I would assume, would *love* to attack.

[_Jim]

Pipeline security report -

RL31391 - Pipeline Security: Industry and Federal Efforts and Associated Legislation

Abstract: Congressional interest in enhancing the security of U.S. pipelines stems from the essential role that this infrastructure plays in the delivery of crude oil, natural gas, and refined petroleum products, as well as associated safety and pollution risks.

The pipelines that deliver these commodities often cross heavily populated or environmentally sensitive areas. About 272,000 miles of pipeline in the natural gas transmission system feed a 1.2 million-mile distribution system.

Through a network of some 200,000 miles, oil pipelines carry roughly 68% of the petroleum shipped in the United States.

To address security concerns, several bills have been considered. H.R. 3609 seeks to strengthen federal regulations regarding the security of this infrastructure. S. 517 , as amended, includes the previously passed Senate pipeline safety bill (S. 235) plus a new provision seeking a balance between the release of information to meet ?community right to know? interests and the withholding of security-sensitive data about pipeline vulnerabilities. H.R. 3555 authorizes funds to assess pipeline vulnerability and to demonstrate good security practices. H.R. 3929 authorizes $20 million for each of FY2002 through FY2006 for a cooperative federal program for research, development, and demonstrations related to pipeline security.

[nw_arizona_granny]

ping

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Xena

It appears you are correct and the tinfoil hat group is wrong again. They just arrested two guys (appear to be WASP with under 90 IQ) who live nearby. I have worked the oilfields near New Caney for years and to say the locals are stupid is to insult the stupid.

[meyer]

Some idiot will use this action as an excuse to explain the next $.05 rise in gas prices.

You're probably right, even though the material in the pipeline was a plastic product rather than gas or oil.